Counties find the road to flood prevention

17 October 2007

Surrey and Devon county councils have announced plans to pour money into their highway drainage systems to help reduce flooding.

Surrey County Council is to improve drains and ditches this autumn with a £1.2M fund set aside for flooding, while Devon County Council has agreed a £1.5M investment from additional funding.

A flooding task force was set up to oversee the fund, which is £400,000 larger than last year’s pot, and identify problem areas and ‘wetspots’ that are most vulnerable to flooding. The council has now drawn up a prioritised schedule of work, after gathering information provided by borough and district councils, and members of the public.

The council said the existing highway drainage system was designed to cope with one-in-40-year storms. Over recent years, these severe storms are occurring with increasing frequency, with the type of storm that used to happen once every 10 years now occurring once or twice a year.

In addition to the scheduled works outlined, Surrey is keen to explore a more holistic approach to the problems of flooding and drainage in the county

David Munro, Surrey County Council’s executive member for transportation, said: ‘The effects of climate change cannot be ignored and the money spent and work now being undertaken are testimony to how seriously we take the issues of flooding and drainage.’

In Devon, areas prone to drainage problems during bursts of heavy rainfall will be prioritised for the additional funding by March 2009.

Around 89 potential drainage-improvement schemes have been highlighted in areas where flooding or ponding occurs regularly and may be a potential hazard to motorists.

Devon County Council leader, Brian Greenslade, said: ‘Providing additional gullies and enlarging highway culverts would help reduce flooding, and I think by investing this extra £1.5M we can improve the situation in these areas and make a real difference in terms of making our roads and pavements safer.’

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