Wakefield Council steps up autumn clean-up to prepare for severe weather
Thursday, November 05, 2026
Wakefield Council is stepping up its work to help prepare for wetter weather this autumn and winter.
To help keep drains clear and make sure the district is better prepared for severe weather, the Council has doubled the number of mechanical road sweepers operating across the district to 12 and increased the number of gully cleansing vehicles from three to five.
“After a successful summer of action, we're keeping up the momentum by making sure our district is prepared for the months ahead.
"Our cleansing team are focused on road sweeping and gully cleansing to help keep our communities looking their best and get us ready for any severe weather over autumn and winter.
“After the prolonged dry summer, we're seeing earlier leaf fall than usual. We’re putting more resources out on the roads to tackle leaves and help keep our gullies as clear as possible.”
Cllr Julian Carter
Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services
With very little rainfall over the summer, leaves, silt and other debris have built up on roads and in gullies. Road Sweepers remove leaves, silt and debris before they can enter the drainage system. That helps to keep gullies working effectively while also improving the appearance of our streets.
One sweeper recently collected more than 26 tonnes of leaves and debris from a five-mile stretch of road in a single week, highlighting the scale of the challenge at this time of year.
Wakefield Council maintains around 67,000 gullies. Through its planned maintenance programme, at least a third are cleaned each year, with known flood hotspots cleaned twice per year and main roads cleaned once per year.
While no drainage system can completely prevent flooding during periods of extreme weather, regular maintenance helps the district to be prepared for wet weather and keeps the network operating as efficiently as possible.
If you are experiencing flooding from the road, call 0345 8 506 506 straight away. The Council’s 24-hour telephone service will deal with these cases immediately. For a non-emergency issue visit report a flood or drainage issue – Wakefield Council.