Cumbria is one of the wettest counties in England, and Seascale
in Borrowdale receives the highest rainfall in England. Good
drainage is very important for the safety of road users. Getting
water away from the road surface is crucial, as flooded roads
can be dangerous, and even a thin layer of water in winter may
well freeze. Water also causes maintenance problems, as it can
soften the ground under a road, which will allow it to flex and
even break up Most of the larger roads in the County, and those
in urban areas have drainage systems, with road gullies catching
the water and pipes carrying the water away to watercourses or
soakaways. On most minor rural roads, there is little formal
drainage, and the water is allowed to run onto the verges, or
sometimes into roadside ditches, through channels (called
“grips”). Road gullies have a sump which traps the material
washed into them, so that the water flowing in the pipes is not
obstructed by accumulations of silt and other materials. This
means that the road gul