CONCERNS have been raised over the council’s ability to deal with flooding after severe rainfall left parts of Clydebank under water.

Many streets were cut off due to the severe weather in July, meaning emergency services could not attend incidents in the area if needed.

At a full meeting of West Dunbartonshire Council on August 26, Councillor Martin Rooney raised concerns over the reduction in spending on gully cleaning.

He revealed that in 2018-19 the council spent £172,721 on gully cleaning but this reduced to £147,540 in 2019-20 – a cut before the pandemic.

However, during 2020-21 only £47,881 was spent on gully cleaning.

Clydebank Central councillor said: “Although Linnvale may have been the worst affected area, it wasn’t the only part of my ward that was affected.

“Kilbowie Road around the Job Centre and Atlantis pub was flooded. There was flooding at Drumry roundabout and on Drumry Road, with excess water running down from Kirkoswald Drive causing dangerous conditions for driving. There was also flooding at Parkhall on the approach to the Kilbowie roundabout.”

Clydebank Waterfront councillor Gail Casey said she had been out driving and had just managed to get off the main road as the water was beginning to go over the height of the tyres, making it impossible to drive.

She added: “It seems like the Victorian sewerage system is not able to manage the high volumes of water associated with flash flooding. I would like to know if something can be done about it and if so, who is responsible.”

And her fellow Clydebank Waterfront councillor Danny Lennie added: “It’s not just a question of why our roads are flooding in the way they are, it’s the impact it’s having on emergency vehicles trying to get through.

“I think it needs a major overhaul of our drainage system and an action plan needs to be implemented in places we predict are going to flood.”