Stonehenge
The last two weeks of wet weather and flooding has seen communities and partners come together to help minimise the impact on local residents and businesses.
Although drier weather is expected over the coming days, river and groundwater levels are still high, and more freezing conditions could see some roads become hazardous.
Jonathon Seed, Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member responsible for flooding has praised local people and staff from the relevant agencies for their hard work. He said: “Despite the terrible weather we have had over the last two weeks, the response from staff and people within the community has been excellent and I’d like to thank everyone; particularly those who have been working around the clock, especially over the Christmas period, and often in difficult conditions to support communities.
“We have seen people pull together locally to help vulnerable neighbours in times of need and enact flood plans to minimise the disruption. Although the weather is showing signs of improvement, we are still experiencing problems due to groundwater flooding. We will continue to work throughout the weekend and into next week to monitor the situation and ensure the often devastating disruption caused by flooding is kept to an absolute minimum.”
Motorists across the county are being urged to drive carefully over the weekend as freezing temperatures are likely to cause icy conditions on already wet and flooded roads.
There are issues with the A303 near Salisbury caused by groundwater flooding, and travel disruption is expected. Wiltshire Council and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue are supporting the Highways Agency with the problem.
Details of road closures are available on Wiltshire Council’s website: www.wiltshire.gov.uk
With road surface temperatures forecast to drop below zero, driving conditions are likely to become hazardous. Wiltshire Council’s highways teams and the Highways Agency will be monitoring the situation carefully and salting certain routes if necessary. People should drive according to the conditions and never assume a road has been treated.
Teams from Wiltshire Council are already out in force, dealing with flooded roads and properties. People who see a blocked road are being asked to report it, although it may take some time for the team to reach minor roads.
If people wish to report a highway issue, they can call Clarence on 01225 777234.
Details of flooding issues can also be found on the Environment Agency website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk
Updates on road conditions are given through the council’s @WiltshireWinter twitter account. People can follow this for up-to-date information during any adverse weather.
This work is being coordinated by the Local Resilience Forum (LRF) which prepares for, responds to and helps with the recovery from local major incidents and emergencies.
