Exeter road flooding probe
AN investigation into the repeated flooding of part of a busy city commuter route will be carried out by South West Water.
More traffic chaos was caused by the continued closure of Honiton Road which was shut for much of yesterday after flooding on Monday caused damage to tarmac and pushed drains beyond their limits.
The road most affected in the morning was East Wonford Hill as drivers tried to cross oncoming traffic to enter Rifford Road.
Drivers were also using Sweetbrier Lane and Vaughan Road to reach Pinhoe Road to get to Sowton.
Some commuters reported journeys to work as long as 45 minutes from St Leonard’s to Sowton Industrial Estate, a trip which would usually take around 10 to 15 minutes.
The road re-opened before the rush hour started yesterday evening.
Engineers from South West Water will use CCTV cameras to see if any pipes are blocked or if any other issues need to be dealt with.
A South West Water spokesman said: “We will be carrying out a CCTV investigation to check inside the pipe for any blockages or signs that there may be an underlying problem.
“SWW is almost certain the flooding was caused by the sheer volume of rain, as the system is only designed to take so much water. But because this isn’t the first time it has happened in this location, the engineers want to take a closer look.”
The spokesman also addressed reports that there had been issues in laying the tarmac which would have delayed the re-opening of the road.
The spokesman added: “There were some initial difficulties in laying the tarmac but these were quickly overcome.”
Readers have also been commenting on the flooding.
Joy, from Exeter, wrote on the Echo’s website, www.thisisexeter.co.uk, that problems would keep occurring.
She said: “Being an Exeter family I have always been told that the river Won(ford) runs under this point, that is why it is called Heavitree bridge.
“Nature will always win out. Now that we are losing so much land to tarmac and concrete there is nowhere for the water to soak and it will naturally find the lowest point.
“This event will happen again and again so perhaps the council needs to plan for the future.”
Pat in Honiton said: “This is the second time in 10 days this has happened. Maybe the drains need enlarging.”
And Sid in Exeter said: “These flooding incidents are partly caused by the paving over of front gardens that has become an all too familiar trend.”
5 Comments
by Mrs Carol Sykes, Pennsylvania,Exeter
Wednesday, June 17 2009, 12:05PM
“In 1954 my parents bought the detached house on the corner of Quarry Lane/Honiton Rd but our official address was Heavitree Bridge as the lovely old bridge still existed & the brrok,a tributary of the river Won,ran free & open in front of our house which was called Brookdale & next to us were 3 cottages,still there,called Brook Cottages. The brook was covered over & diverted through a culvert to make space & more land to increase the width of Honiton Rd at that point & to make land to extend the bottom end of Rifford Rd,where the blocks of flats are now & also those at the bottom of Sweetbrier Lane.In about 1957 I came home from school to witness my home & the cottages being pumped out by fire engines as a severe storm had caused the covered brook to force it's way up the drains & into our house & the cottages & that scene has never left me nor the stink of mud up all our ground floor rooms to about 4 feet.Following that storm drains were put in but they must be at least 50 years old & clearly inadequate by now even if others have been added to take away water,sewage etc for all the extra properties since my time living there.I left the area in 1967 when I married but to this day will never live on low ground or anywhere near an old watercourse & nor will my family.Historically there are big problems with flooding in that area & it is clearly still not rectified.From my own experience the problem needs research & checking much further in all directions than just that junction of Sweetbrier Lane & Honiton Rd.That is just where all the excess water gathers with devastating effect”
by Chris - Exonian ex-pat, Sunny Cyprus
Wednesday, June 17 2009, 12:04PM
“An investigation???!
Heavitree Bridge, as it's known, has been flooding ever since the road was built - a few centuries ago. It was certainly a regular occurence during my lifetime in Exeter.
If the authorities haven't worked out by now that it's because it's at the bottom of a bloody great hill and the drains are inadequate to cope with heavy rainfall - then heaven help us!”
by James P, Exeter
Wednesday, June 17 2009, 11:01AM
“Paul - are you sure about that? Maybe you should get your facts correct, SWW are responsible for combined sewers (foul and surface water) where they exist, as is the case at many a location. Honiton Road / Sweetbriar Lane junction is one - anyone there on the day would of seen the detritus floating about and smelt the odour to confirm that!”
by Paul, Exeter
Wednesday, June 17 2009, 10:20AM
“I think you will find that Highways or Council deal with drains, not South West Water!”
by James, Exmouth
Wednesday, June 17 2009, 8:01AM
“This is the same SWW that can't stop the Colony area of Exmouth flooding every time it rains, but doesn't see the need to clear the drains?
Good luck.”