Chief executive Andrew Lewis said “substantial work” had been done on the road since Elaine and Philip Marco died
15:41, 21 Nov 2025Updated 18:21, 21 Nov 2025
Chief executive Andrew Lewis said “substantial work” had been done on the road since Elaine and Philip Marco died(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Liverpool Council has issued its response after a coroner said its failure to acknowledge risk to life contributed to the death of a couple in a flash flood two years ago. Senior coroner Andre Rebello said the local authority’s delay in putting up warning signs and lack of acknowledgement of risk at Queens Drive had been a failure.
Retired caterers Elaine and Philip Marco died when their car became submerged in flood water in Mossley Hill in August 2023. They became stranded when water entered the air intake of their Mercedes, rendering the car undrivable.
Such was the intensity of the extreme rainfall that night, the combined sewer beneath the road became overwhelmed, which the coroner said resulted in a “violent” sewer surcharge, flooding the road to a depth of 3m. Mr Rebello said Liverpool Council would have been aware of the lack of signage warning drivers since the construction of the road almost 100 years ago.
He found that as the lead local flood authority, the council did not appreciate the risk of flooding on Queens Drive represented a risk to life. The family of Mr and Mrs Marco said their deaths had been “completely avoidable” and said the local authority carried “the ultimate responsibility.”
Elaine and Philip Marco died after becoming trapped in their car in a flooded road in Liverpool(Image: Merseyside Police/PA Wire )
In a statement following the conclusion of the inquest into the Marcos’ death on Friday, Andrew Lewis, Liverpool Council chief executive said: “I would like to take this opportunity to once again send our deepest condolences to the family of Mr and Mrs Marco. As the family’s moving testimony to the inquest demonstrates, their deaths have caused unimaginable distress and pain.
“Substantial work has been carried out at the site to mitigate the risk of future flooding. This included installing barriers, signage, and early warning systems, including CCTV monitoring and warning sensors.
“The council commissioned an independent expert review under Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act. This report was made public and has helped inform the inquest.
“I have given my personal assurance to the family that the council remains fully committed to maintaining openness and transparency in all matters related to this tragedy.” Speaking outside court, the Marco family paid tribute to their parents.
The Marco family outside court
They said: “Over the past week, our family has sat through the evidence heard at Liverpool Coroner’s Court about the tragic loss of our parents.
“They were warm, loving people, devoted parents and grandparents and this came through clearly in the evidence shared during the proceedings.
“Their deaths have left an enormous void in our lives. Not a single moment passes without us thinking of them and feeling the weight of their absence.
“What makes this even harder is knowing that their deaths were completely avoidable. Liverpool City Council carries the ultimate responsibility for this.”
Cllr Richard Kemp, the councillor for Penny Lane, the ward in which the tragedy occurred said: “The Council has been ruled to be at fault in the terrible deaths of the Marcos in 2023 under the bridges on Queens Drive.
“Despite three previous cases of cars being stranded that there was no urgency in their approach to the problem. On that basis I support the conclusion of the Coroner.
“As a councillor for that area for 19 years I and colleagues had continually raised the issue. We ramped up complaints about lighting and blocked gullies after the first, second and third strandings but too little was planned and done too late. Clearly lives were at risk although no flooding had ever reached the magnitude of the one on that terrible night.
“But more permanent relief is at hand. Last night I took part in a public meeting about the installation in the Mystery of a 7,000,000 underground containment tank which will be filled when there are deluges and let out when the deluge has subsided. This will cost £30 million and be undertaken by United Utilities as the first stage of a major programme of works to deal with the acute pressures of climate change.
“This will cause disruption in the Grant Avenue, Crawford Avenue and Penny Lane areas as this work and associated works take place. However, almost everyone I have spoken to about this realises that the work must be done although United Utilities cannot guarantee that the work will totally stop flooding, the work will certainly reduce risk.
“So, if United Utilities play their part the council must play their part by improving the lighting and putting place proper barriers, lighting, and electronic indicator boards in place. Between those two sets of measures, we may be able to avoid a repeat of the tragedy which befell the Marco family
“Ironically, Queens Drive has only just reopened after being closed for three more days because of the torrential storm on Tuesday night”.