The last few days have seen unprecedented levels of rainfall and while it is a natural phenomenon and nothing can be done to stop the rainfall, there must be plans in place to deal with the aftermath and pump the water away as soon as possible. I have written to Cheshire East Council asking them to update me on what measures they have in place to deal with the rising water levels and how they plan to manage the situation both while the rain continues to fall and once it stops.
Today I also raised the issue with ministerial colleagues at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and briefed them on the situation in and around Wilmslow. I highlighted my concerns about flooding on the A555 (Stockport Council) Airport Road and the A34 Alderley Edge Bypass, both comparatively new roads and expressed my concerns how they were designed in such a way this should happen. I do know a number of other roads are also affected either because of the volume of top water, rivers bursting their banks or sink holes appearing and we also need to ensure plans are in place to get those roads back open as soon as possible.
I would like to thank our excellent emergency services who have rescued people in the past days and are continuing to work around the clock to keep us safe.
Separately, the Association of British Insurers have been in touch with me and asked me to share the links below with local residents who may be affected by the flooding;
https://www.abi.org.uk/products-and-issues/topics-and-issues/flooding/recovering-from-a-flood/
https://www.abi.org.uk/products-and-issues/topics-and-issues/flooding/
Cheshire East have now provided the following update:
INFORMATION BULLETIN
Council and partner agencies continue to respond to emergency flooding incidents
Cheshire East Council and partner agencies continue to work closely together to respond to yesterday’s emergency flooding incidents in the north of the borough.
Since the weekend, Cheshire East has experienced prolonged periods of persistent and heavy rain, resulting in standing water and flooding at hot spots on the network.
Yesterday, flash flooding caused major issues in the Poynton, Bollington and Wilmslow areas yesterday evening, affecting around 60 properties and resulted in a number of road closures. Between 60-90mm of rain fell in 24 hours
Cheshire Police coordinated the multi-agency response throughout the night for the emergency services and Cheshire East Council.
Once the major incident response was stood down, Cheshire East Council took responsibility for leading the recovery phase. Cheshire East Council is committed to keeping residents safe and continues to provide ongoing support, including the delivery of sandbags, flood boards and implementing road closures where necessary.
The council’s adverse weather desk was also mobilised yesterday morning and continues to be in operation today, with the authority’s Highways team so far responding to more than 150 weather-related calls.
As water levels recede, the authority will focus on inspecting the highways network, clearing away any debris, assessing the requirement for repair work and continue to respond to any requests for assistance from members of the public.
Additional resources have been deployed to respond to the issues on the highways network and a number of gully emptiers and jetters are working to remove any hazards and to keep the network safe.
The council – along with partner agencies – has also identified those most vulnerable and have been in direct contact with those affected to ensure their safety.
As part of the recovery process, Highways teams are also we are working in partnership with the council’s environmental service company ANSA to restore the carriageway to its original condition. It includes the deployment of road sweepers to the Poynton, Bollington and Wilmslow areas.
While the majority of roads have now reopened, motorists are advised to drive with care as there is still a large amount of surface water in the area. Members of the public are also reminded to abide by all road closure signs and advised to not walk through flood water as there may be hidden hazards.
Road closures are still in place in the following areas:
● Moggie Lane, Higher Poynton – closed in both directions due to collapse of the bridge at the junction with Narrow Lane. The council is working closely with partner organisations to make safe and repair the bridge and the road will remain closed for the foreseeable future.
● Styal Road, Wilmslow – closed in both directions;
● Fol Hollow, Congleton – closed in both directions
● Mill Lane, Adlington - closed in both directions; and
● Skellorn Green Lane, Adlington – closed due to flooding at the junction with Street Lane and Cawley Lane.0
Two-way temporary traffic lights are also in place along Mudhurst Lane/Higher Lane, Disley as the edge of the carriageway has been affected by flood water.
While rain has eased this morning, a further Met Office weather warning for the North West has been received for heavy rain and thunderstorms between midday and 8pm.
The public are warned that flood alerts are in place for the following areas in Cheshire East:
● Poynton Brook at Poynton and Midway;
● Poynton Brook at Wigwam Wood and parts of Armcon Business Park;
● River Bollin and Agden Brook at Little Bollington; and
● River Bollin at Heatley.
More information can be found at:
https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings
To prepare for the possibility of further floods, residents are urged to sign up for free flood warnings on the Environment Agency's website, follow them on Twitter @EnvAgencyNW for the latest information or call the Flood Line on 0345 988 1188.
There is also further help and advice available from Public Health England regarding how to prepare for a flood and what to do if you are affected by floodwater – visit: www.gov.uk/prepare-for-a-flood
- Members of the public are advised to contact the council on 0300 123 5020 with any highways issues, or 0300 123 5025 out of hours.
- Updates will be given via the council’s social media pages (@CheshireEast and Cheshire East Council on Facebook) and via the @CECHighways Twitter account.
- Residents can also follow #CheshireEastFloods for the latest.
PHOTO CREDIT: SO CHESHIRE
