Town Council - Call on residents to lobby for Flood Action

Tenbury Town Council has taken the unprecedented step of issuing a press release stating its position with respect to the security of the town because it is concerned at the lack of action taken by the relevant authorities in respect of flood defences.

Click here for statement.

Tenbury standing by.

With heavy rain forecast for Thursday a temporary sandbag wall has been erected at the Market Street Wall Works.

This is try to stop water spilling from the Brook into Market Street should the heavy rain cause the waters to rise.

Sand Bag Volunteers Wanted

Town Council - Flood Action

The Tenbury Town Council are to issue a statement of condemnation regarding the Environment Agencies Flood report and their response to the Town Council's concerns.

It is almost certain that there will be no major flood defenses for Tenbury as we do not meet the qualifications set out by Central Government. Wortcester News Article

It may be possible to get funding for smaller projects. All suggestions should be sent to the Town Clerk or your local Councillor.

Flash flooding is not the responsibility of the EA, but drainage of surface water is the responsibility of the County Council. The Bog Lane area, which is the source of so many of Tenbury's flash flood problems is to be investigated by the CC this week and they will provide the TC with a interim report by Friday. The weather forecast indicates that Tenbury could be hit by more flooding this Thursday.

Confused Reporting

Am I alone in wondering about the levels of inaccuracy in the reporting of the recent flood in Tenbury.

I missed most of the radio and TV reports, but was getting calls and messages from friends and family who expected to find us under water.

News even reached Sri lanka were Richard Burt issued a press release based on what he heard.

To read the 'flashes' coming up on the e-media and to read some of the reports in today's papers you have to start thinking that they must be talking about somewhere else.

At one point the BBC and others were claiming that Tenbury had been evacuated.

From the Times: "In Worcestershire, parts of Tenbury Wells town centre were evacuated and a refuge centre opened after the Kyre Brook broke its banks"

Sure the emergency centre at St Michael's was opened, but I'm not sure if anyone went there. If you live the other side of the Market Tavern you would have been out of luck anyway.

It is probably sensible to close the road to stop the wake from vehicles washing into shops, but the water was never deep enough to actually stop a car, unless driven by the most inept driver.

By closing the road so early, I wonder how much 'rat running' of country lanes caused more damage.

Reports that the A456 was closed continued well into Saturday night, but I spoke to several people who claimed it was still open.

Even as I write this (on Sunday afternoon) teletext still says
"A456, Tenbury Wells Road closed due to flooding both ways at A4112 Teme Street"

For Tenbury the EA flood warnings for the River Teme seems to have been correct, but some area's down stream flooded whilst still on Flood Watch. The system seems to have too few sensors to be very accurate. If we can't have defenses then at least give us a warning system that works, and extend it to the Brooks that are known to be prone to flooding.

Another Blogers View

As usual I welcome your comments.

Flooding Down Stream

The Teme at Tenbury is fast flowing and high, but seems to have stopped rising. The water level was the same at 5pm as it was at 12.30pm.

Flooding has been reported down stream at Knightwick, but so far so good for Teme Street.

Click here for more.

Clee Hill - Roads Destroyed

Clee Hill may have taken the brunt of the heavy rain that fell locally.

A number of the smaller roads have been all but destroyed.

South Shropshire Council may have to review their policy of replacing fords with pipes run under the road.

Several of these piped culverts were overwhelmed and the water has ripped up the road surface and demolished railings and fences as it made its way down hill.

In one location, a brook appears to have changed course and is now flowing along a road, before plunging down a bank and across a field. The water was too deep and fast moving for me to get to the original watercourse.

Click here for more.

Lucky Escape

As Fire Crews clean the roads this morning, must shopkeepers appear to have had a lucky escape. The water in Market Street peaked mid-evening last night and only Caldicott Home Centre and The Little Fish Shop appear to have been flooded.

The town is not totally out of danger yet, as the Teme is still at a very high level. Last year the Teme broke it's banks three days after the flash flood washed through town.

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The Wall - The history according to me!

The original Market Street wall collapsed after flash flooding in July 2007. The sluice valves that should have allowed the water to escape into the brook had not been maintained and had rusted closed. With nowhere to go the pressure and weight of the water caused the wall to collapse.

Lack of action by the local authorities in shoring up the bank meant that when the second flood followed a few days later, the wall foundations were undermined and the 'float foundation' of the newly refurbished toilets were washed out causing the toilets to subside.

Although the toilets were not damaged, the local authorities decided that it would be easier and cheaper to demolish them rather than try to jack them up a save them.

Due to the very strong construction of the toilets, heavy equipment was used to carryout the demolition which caused considerable further damage to the structure of the bank.

Months of confusion followed as none of the authorities wanted to take responsibility for the site. The wall was the responsibility of the County Council as it protected the road. The toilets were the responsibility of the District Council. Anything affecting the water course is the responsibility of the Environment Agency, and the Town Council take a view on all things local.

Finally after many delays including a plan to culvert the brook (which was against Environment Agency policy) and a replacement plan which meant the road would be closed for more than 6 months, effectively cutting Tenbury in two and more than likely to kill off the Town as a shopping destination, the County Council put the work out for tender.

More delays followed whilst contractors submitted their estimates and project plans.

Now more than 12 months later the work to replace the wall has only just started. The work was expected to be completed by Christmas but this is now in doubt as the latest flood has washed away the wooden form-work and has more than likely made the site unstable. Depending on what has been washed away, there is a possibility that the road may have been further damaged.Tenbury Wells was flooded three times in Summer 2007

25th June at approx. 18.00 hrs
17th July at approx. 14.45 hrs
20th July at approx. 18.00 hrs

and now September 5th at approx. 18.00 hrs

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What a difference 24 hours makes.

Tenbury Mayor; Cllr Jones, Cllr Morgan and Town/District Councillor Penn take a break in their sandbag distribution to survey the damage.

Less than 24 hours after their meeting with the Environment Agency, where it was confirmed that Tenbury would not be getting any flood defences, Town, District and County Councillors were out in force on the flooded streets of Tenbury.

The Tenbury Crisis Management Team and Plan were swung into action early this evening as it became clear that Kyre Brook would breach its banks.

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Avoidable Flood Hits Market Street

Once again, Market Street in Tenbury Wells has flooded.

Several shops are awash with water just 14 months after the last flood. Run-off water rushed down the aptly named Bog Lane and made it's way into the Town Centre. This water immediately ran into the brook and away. (If the Flood Wall had been completed it would have exited via the sluice valves.)

The problem has been caused by the delay in starting the wall. Rather than holding back the water as the brook level rose, it allowed the water to spill straight out into the road.

A combination of delays caused by the multi-agency involvement, and the Environment Agencies restriction on working on water course during the winter, (when the water in the brook rarely rises) meant that after more than 12 months work on the wall has barely started.

Click here for more.

Tenbury holds its breath

By 5 pm this afternoon Kyre Brook was within inches of bursting its banks at the Market Street wall work.

Local residents report that the wooden formwork had already been washed away.

Shop keepers in Market Street were busily removing stock and lifting items onto higher shelves. Flood Boards were in place backed up by sand bags.

Further down the Kyre water had already spilled out onto the footpath.

Taken at 5pm

Taken at 7.30pm

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Floods Hit Burford (Tenbury Wells)

Heavy rain on Clee Hill this afternoon caused heavy run-off flooding in Burford. All the businesses along Boraston Lane were busy sweeping out flood waters.

Residents in Stanbrook Road were using sandbags in a attempt to hold back the tide of muddy water.

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