A section of Queens Drive in Liverpool is to close as a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms comes into force in certain parts of the UK. Liverpool City Council has confirmed Queens Drive, by Dovedale Road, will be closed from 8am tomorrow (Wednesday) until the weather warning is lifted.
The council said the closure was being introduced to keep motorists and other road users safe amid forecasts of heavy rainfall and thunderstorms. The authority said on X: “Due to a yellow weather warning for thunderstorms, Queens Drive, by Dovedale Road, will be closed from 8am tomorrow until the warning is lifted.
“These closures are in place to keep road users safe during expected heavy rainfall. Diversions will be in place. Apologies for any inconvenience.”
History of flooding on Queens Drive
The closure comes three years after the deaths of Elaine and Philip Marco in August 2023. The much-loved 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.
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.
Met Office warning details
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.
The latest closure comes as the Met Office warns that thunderstorms and heavy rain could cause disruption across Merseyside and other parts of the North West. A yellow weather warning for thunderstorms is in place in certain parts of the north west from 3am Wednesday. But the yellow warning in Liverpool is due to begin at 7am on Thursday and remain in place until 10pm.
The Met Office said there was a “small chance” that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with possible damage from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds. It also warned that driving conditions could be affected, with spray and sudden flooding potentially leading to road closures.
Motorists have been advised to check road conditions before travelling and consider changing their plans if necessary. The warning covers Merseyside as well as areas including Cheshire and Greater Manchester.
