SEWAGE believed to contain human waste has caused problems for children and parents after a well-used route to school was blocked off due to the issue.
Foul smelling waste has been prompting complaints in Royston Welfare Park in recent weeks with Yorkshire Water finally agreeing this week to investigate the problem believed to be caused by an issue with its sewers.
Royston councillor Caroline Makinson, and members of the bowling club - whose premises lie in Royston Welfare Park - are becoming increasingly concerned about the flooding and the welfare of people using the park.
“We’ve had a sewage problems going on in Royston Park for the past six months now, actually it’s probably longer,” she said.
“It’s an historic issue that’s getting a lot worse.
“Yorkshire Water’s drains lie behind the bowling club in Royston Welfare Park.
“I’ve been onto the council’s drainage engineer and I’ve been told from them that it’s a Yorkshire Water asset and so the council can’t do anything about it.
“We’ve been getting sewage on there in the past and it’s been reported about four times so far this year.
“I’ve had phone calls from the bowling club telling me about it saying that it’s an underlying issue and that it’s human sewage.”
The area in which the flooding lies, is one of the main routes for parents and students walking to Parkside Primary Academy and due to the flooding the gate which allows parents to walk through the bowling club and towards the school, had to be closed meaning people had to find alternative, longer routes to school.
“Yorkshire Water keeps sending people out and we’ve been told they’re looking into the cause but how long is it going to be going on for until something’s actually done?” said Caroline.
“It’s something that needs prioritising and they don’t seem to be doing it.
“I’ve been pushing the council but I keep getting told that it’s Yorkshire Water so they can’t do anything.”
Graham Kyte, a member of the bowling club, said: “I think the flooding is human waste because it’s coming from a main sewage line and sometimes it comes back up the toilets in the club and overflows.
“Yorkshire Water haven’t done anything about it, it’s just all been empty promises.
“The secretary of the club and that councillor Caroline Makinson has spoken to them and we’ve been told that it’s not the council’s responsibility, they’ve had a number of approaches with them and they’ve said they know there’s a problem there and they’ll get round to it.
“But they haven’t got round to it.
“Everyone’s got a different version of why it’s happening. The park’s always had flooding problems, but this is a sewage problem.
“People and children use the park to get to school and it’s a massive issue.”
A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water said: “We are aware of some localised flooding at Royston Welfare Park and have raised a request to send a jetvan to the park to investigate the issue very shortly.”
