Tragedy Strikes on Queens Drive
A devoted Liverpool couple lost their lives after their car plunged into a massive pool of water that had gathered beneath a railway bridge on a road with a known history of flooding. An inquest heard that Philip Marco, 77, and his wife Elaine, 76, were caught out by what was described as 'monsoon' conditions.
Unprecedented Rainfall and Missed Warnings
The hearing in Liverpool was told that an astonishing 80 mm of rain fell in the Mossley Hill area in the hour before the fatal incident on the evening of August 26, 2023. Andy Bethell, head of highways management for Liverpool City Council, stated the downpour was of an intensity approaching a monsoon and that even the Met Office had failed to predict its severity.
A yellow weather warning was issued, but not until 9.26pm – more than ten minutes after the Marcos are believed to have driven into the 15ft deep flood at around 9.15pm. The couple died just days before what would have been their 54th wedding anniversary.
A History of Flooding and Council Admission
Mr Bethell accepted during the inquest that there had been four previous flooding incidents at the same spot on Queens Drive in the months leading up to the tragedy, specifically on May 11, June 10, July 8, and July 23. However, none had previously been judged a 'threat to life'.
Anthony Metzer, KC, representing the family, questioned why no preventative action was taken, pointing to the area's long-standing flooding problems. He directly asked if it took fatalities for the council to act, to which Mr Bethell replied, 'Regrettably, yes.'
The highways officer explained that the earlier floods, and the fatal one, were caused by a 'surcharge' from a sewer owned by United Utilities, which overwhelmed the drainage system. He revealed that while UU had spent £15,000 and removed 12 tonnes of silt before the tragedy, a further 18 tonnes were removed afterwards.
Despite new safety measures installed since the deaths, including warning signs, sensors, and barriers, the road flooded again during heavy rain just this Tuesday, with some drivers and pedestrians still venturing under the bridge.
The inquest continues.
