Liverpool City Council has closed Queens Drive by Dovedale Road after the Met Office issued a yellow thunderstorm warning for the city. The warning is in place from 12pm to 9pm today, with some flooding likely.
Council confirms closure
In a post on X just after 12pm, Liverpool City Council said: "Due to expected rainfall and a second yellow weather warning for thunderstorms, Queens Drive, by Dovedale Road, is now closed."
"These closures are in place to keep road users safe. Please use alternative routes. We apologise for any inconvenience." Warning signs and barriers are in operation.
History of flooding
This section of Queens Drive was also closed on Tuesday night due to heavy rainfall. The closures come three years after the deaths of Elaine and Philip Marco in August 2023. The couple died when their Mercedes became submerged in flash flooding beneath a railway bridge on Queens Drive in Mossley Hill on August 26, 2023.
A week-long inquest, held two years after their deaths, heard evidence that failings by Liverpool Council contributed to the couple's fatal encounter with floodwater. Queens Drive had experienced a series of floods during the summer of 2023, with heavy rainfall causing flooding in May, June and July.
Flood risk factors
The road dips significantly beneath the Briardale Road and railway bridges, creating what a United Utilities expert described during the inquest as an "artificial basin" where water can collect. The road is almost 8m below ground level, while manholes around the dip are only around 1m below the road surface.
During periods of heavy rainfall, the Victorian sewer network was unable to cope, with water surcharging from the system and flowing into the road. The inquest heard how motorists had previously been forced to abandon their vehicles and emergency services called to rescue people from flooded cars. At the time, there were no warning signs installed by Liverpool Council alerting motorists to the potential flood risk, despite the authority being the local lead flood authority.
Met Office warning details
In its thunderstorms warning for today, the Met Office said: "There is a good chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water and/or hail, leading to longer journey times by car and bus."
"Delays to train services are possible. Flooding of a few homes and businesses is likely, leading to some damage to buildings or structures. Possibly some damage to a few buildings and structures from lightning strikes. Some short-term loss of power and other services is possible."
