Calls are being made to improve a stretch of the A35 that is prone to flooding.
Winterbourne Parish Council has been in meetings with National Highways to discuss issues relating to the main Dorset route including flooding, drainage, road crossing safety, street lighting and pavement issues.
The A35 at Kingston Russell and at Winterbourne Abbas continue to be hotspots for flooding, which has worsened in recent months due to heavy rainfall this winter.
After frequent deluges of rain, motorists have battled their way through an at times submerged stretch of the A35 next to the Esso garage at Winterbourne Abbas.
READ MORE: Advice on staying safe on roads following heavy rain
A spokesperson from Winterbourne Abbas & Steepleton Parish Council said: “The heavy rainfall in recent months has resulted in further flooding of the A35 trunk road in the Winterbourne Abbas filling station area.
“The parish council has already met with National Highways and is taking the initiative of co-ordinating a meeting of local landowners, farmers and flood prevention agencies, along with National Highways and the Environment Agency, in order to determine how the situation can be improved.”
Unrelenting heavy rain has frequently caused travel disruption with floodwater causing major delays for drivers in west Dorset.
Another hotspot includes the coast road at Burton Bradstock.
READ MORE: A35 in Kingston Russell partially blocked by flooding
A National Highways spokesperson added: “We are aware of the flooding issue at Winterbourne Abbas on the A35 and continue to assess the situation as a matter of urgency.
“Whilst we have an inspection and maintenance plan in place for the area, including inspecting and clearing gullies ahead of forecasted rain, unprecedented recent rainfall has seen groundwater levels considerably higher than what we have previously seen.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and look for further collaborative opportunities to reduce the risk of flooding.
"In the meantime, we would encourage people to contact us or Winterbourne Abbas Parish Council immediately if they detect any problems. We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused."
Wessex Water, which services 2.8m customers across south west England, previously announced a multi-million pound investment in 2022 to tackle storm overflows.
The company's Storm Overflows Improvement Plan aimed to deliver a 25 per cent reduction in the number of hours of discharges from storm overflows by 2025. The plan also aimed to see every overflow in the region monitored by 2023.
READ MORE: Wessex Water announce multimillion pound investment to tackle storm overflows
The company confirmed to the News that all overflows had event duration monitors in place by December 31 2023.
A Wessex Water spokesperson said: “Drainage systems carrying floodwater are often interconnected so we work closely with local councils, who are responsible for highway drains, and others to help when flooding occurs and advise on how future flood risk can be managed.
“Wessex Water is investing record amounts on schemes in Dorset to increase sewer capacity and keep rainwater out of the network."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel