Queens Drive set to reopen
A major Liverpool road, which has been closed since August, could reopen soon following the installation of new safety measures. Elaine and Philip Marco tragically lost their lives on August 26 after their car became trapped in flood water on Queens Drive.
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00:00 Part of Queens Drive, which is prone to flooding, has been closed off to motorists, while investigative
00:09 works have taken place after the tragic death of a couple in August. Elaine and Philip Marco
00:15 lost their lives after their car became trapped in flood water on Queens Drive.
00:20 We haven't actually got the final date for reopening yet. We're going to do this very
00:24 sensitively and we remember that there was a tragedy here and we want to let the family
00:30 know and perhaps they'd like to come and think about it when it's all finished and they can
00:34 go down and just have a few minutes to themselves.
00:40 The busy Mosley Hill Road has been closed since August, whilst work's been done to ensure
00:45 it remains safe for motorists.
00:49 This is the deepest culvert in Liverpool and on the day of the tragedy there were problems
00:55 right the way along Queens Drive, but they didn't kill anyone. It was here where the
01:00 water collected, it flooded in as it were to the valley and just rose so quickly and
01:06 that's why we've been saying we can't stop this flooding. What we can do is to make sure
01:12 anyone travelling here will know that it's dangerous and stop them going in.
01:18 Testing has taken place on the new flood sensors, signage and barriers that have been installed
01:24 on site. As well as measuring water levels, the sensors will provide long-term data which
01:31 will show how quickly or slowly water is getting through. This data will also aid information
01:38 for future maintenance works.
01:40 Two barriers are now in place, one before and one after the Queens Drive bridges. These
01:46 barriers will be triggered following an alert from the primary sensors on the bridge. The
01:52 barriers will come down and the VMS signs at either end will illuminate. For safety
01:57 reasons the decision to raise the barrier and stop the warning signs will always be
02:01 given by an officer on site.
02:04 So what we've got is a barrier, which is a half barrier, and that's on advice that we
02:10 don't want a full barrier because we don't want someone to get stuck. But there will
02:15 also be an officer decision, a technical assessment by the council when they can lift
02:21 the barriers and turn the signs off.
02:23 The warning signs are temporary but a permanent new system has been ordered. New lighting
02:29 is being designed and the installation of it will not need a road closure. The road
02:36 resurfacing has started and subject to weather will be completed this week. Following analysis
02:42 of the testing results and repairs to the road surface, the council will be in a position
02:47 to determine a date for the road to be reopened.
02:51 But sometime over the summer they're going to repair the bridge over there and repaint
02:58 it so it's left spic and span but crucially it's left very safe.
03:02 (sighs)