Trying to Tackle Flooding

As the rain set in yet again on Saturday (what happened to that sunny weather that was forecast?)  my mind turned to the floods on local roads that would inevitably follow the precipitation. 

Flooding on Brewery Road affects
the pedestrian crossing

Upper most in my mind was the flooding on Brewery Road.  This is a key walking and cycling route into the town centre from Horsell and affects a pedestrian crossing.

I have been asking for action on this, and other areas of flooding, since the rain set in after the "drought" (remember the hosepipe ban?) early last summer.  Initially I reported the flooding to the county council but when nothing happened I started asking questions at Surrey's Local Committee of county and borough councillors from Woking.

In addition to floods on Brewery Road I identified flooding on Arthur's Bridge Road, Church Hill, the Brewery Road exit from the roundabout at Church Hill / Arthur's Bridge and at crossings over Victoria Way.

I have put questions to the last 3 Local Committees.  Within my questions I have raised the theory that much flooding seems to have happened after roads have been resurfaced.  This possibility has been rejected by county officers.

Pedestrians and cyclists run
gauntlet of a shower from
thoughtless motorists

As a result of my questioning 

• There has been progress on Arthur's Bridge where clearing the drains appears to have solved the problem.  
• I am told the flooding on Church Hill and at the roundabout is due to a drain problem which has been passed to Thames Water to remedy.  
• The County denies the crossings of Victoria Way have a flood issue.  
• The flooding on Brewery Road remains unresolved.  The latest response I received, back in March, was that investigations are continuing.  Meanwhile pedestrians and cyclists continue to run the gauntlet of safely passing the puddles before getting a free shower courtesy of a thoughtless motorist.

I set out below the questions I have asked by date.  

My attempts to get local flooding fixed - Questions asked to the Woking Local Committee

September 2012

There are a number of roads in my area that suffer from notable flooding after heavy rain.  This can be caused by drains blocking but in recent times seems to be an after effect of resurfacing works.  I have raised this issue with officers and I believe some investigative work has been done but I would like an update on

- when flooding on Brewery Road and Arthur's Bridge Road is expected to be remedied

- whether there are issues with the contractor resurfacing roads and flooding after resurfacing has been noted in other areas, and, if so what is being done to put this right in future

December 2012

I asked a question about flooding at the last Local Committee but don't believe the matter was fully addressed.  Improvement has been seen on Arthur's Bridge Road because I believe this was a drain clearance issue but in the last couple of months I have noticed that there are several roads which have been resurfaced or re-laid as part of road improvements in recent years that now have large puddles when it rains heavily.  Locations are:

- the lower part of Church Hill where the pavement was widened and dropped kerbs added several years ago

- the junction of Brewery Road with the Arthur's Bridge Road roundabout which was created in the last few years

- Brewery Road outside the entrance to the WWF building site (this has improved a little I think from drain clearance) but there is still a large puddle.  This part of Brewery Road was resurfaced earlier this year and the problem has been there since that time

- the pedestrian crossings over Chobham Road and then Victoria Way into Woking town centre

- the pedestrian crossing over Victoria Way by the Lightbox into Woking Town Centre

Would you agree that there does appear to be a problem when Surrey Highways contractors resurface or create new road structures?

What will be done to remove this puddling in the short term?

What can change in future so that these problems do not continue?

March 2013

Could Highways please tell me what action has been taken in response to my question to the previous local committee three months ago in respect of 'puddling' problems at the following locations:

- the lower part of Church Hill, Horsell

- the junction of Brewery Road with the Arthur's Bridge Road roundabout, Horsell

- Brewery Road, Horsell  outside the entrance to the WWF building site

- the pedestrian crossings over Chobham Road and then Victoria Way into Woking town centre

- the pedestrian crossing over Victoria Way by the Lightbox into Woking Town Centre