Solihull Resident's Six-Year Sleepless Nightmare Over Noisy Manhole Cover
A frustrated Solihull resident has described his six-year battle to get a loud, clunking manhole cover fixed as an absolute nightmare, leaving him desperate for a good night's sleep. Kaushik Rampal, who lives on Bills Lane near the busy junction with Burman Road, says the metal cover continually makes a disruptive noise as vehicles run over it, echoing loudly at night.
Years of Disturbance and Failed Repairs
The issue has persisted for half a decade, with the resident complaining constantly but seeing little action. He explained that the loud banging sound occurs at all hours, especially when vehicles like ambulances or police cars pick up speed. The drain has dropped, he said, noting that workers have previously applied tarmac that fades away with rain and snow, leaving the problem unresolved.
Adding to the irritation, large pieces of tarmac from the last repair attempt were left dumped outside his home. I told the guys doing it can you take it away, they just chucked it by the side, Rampal recounted, comparing the noise to a train track constantly clunking.
Confusion Over Responsibility and Promised Fix
Over the years, there was confusion about who was responsible for the manhole cover, but it was eventually established that Severn Trent Water (STW) is accountable. The resident received a letter from STW in early March promising work, but after fencing was installed, the cover remained unfixed. An interim repair was attempted the week prior, but it failed to stop the noise.
A STW spokesperson apologized for the disturbance, attributing the loose cover to heavy traffic over time. We're sorry to Mr Rampal and other residents on Bills Lane for the disturbance, they said, explaining that engineers had laid temporary tarmac to reduce noise but had to pause work for safety when motorists ignored road closures.
Final Repair Scheduled for This Weekend
STW has now committed to completing a full repair safely on Sunday, March 22, after which the road surface will be reinstated and the area returned to normal. The spokesperson added that all tarmac debris will be collected once the work is finished. For Rampal, this promise brings hope after years of sleepless nights, as he simply wants the issue resolved to finally rest peacefully.
