Residents will be aware that the road to Clifton Hampden has flooded. This is due to very heavy rain over the last week or two which has led to high river levels in Oxfordshire.
Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) has placed ‘Road Closed’ signs at the triangle at the end of the High Street.
There is a lot of standing water on roads and people are asked to drive with extra care. OCC has advised motorists not to attempt to drive through floodwater as they run the risk of becoming stranded.
There is more advice and information on the OCC News website:
https://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/flooding-in-oxfordshire/
Does anyone know why the rivers don’t get dredged anymore?? I am sure this would help as we are flooding more & more. Getting to work in Oxford is a long way round Wallingford way. Thanks. Deb.
We have lived here for 47 years and flooding is a regular event, that is why there is the raised walkway. flood plains are called that for a reason!
You did not answer my question David. Why aren’t the rivers dredged anymore??
Because dredging doesn’t work, except on slow flowing rivers – which the Thames isn’t. On fast flowing rivers the primary bottleneck is bridges, as can be seen by the water being almost at the top of the arches of Clifton Hampden brigde.
Rather than dredging, demolishing all the old bridges would be the only way to prevent flooding, but I can’t see that being popular.
The only, and much cheaper, way of preventing flooding is to slow water flow off land upstream by tree planting, dams in streams etc.
Currently there is a vehicle stranded adjacent to the entrance to Lower Farm. We hear the recovery vehicle refused to remove it under insurance as the driver had gone through a Road Closed sign – but clearly this will be an unlit hazard at night.
I tried to get to Clifton via Culham Bridge and that is closed too, going through Abingdon is a VERY long way!!
Surely there need to be’Road Closed ‘ and ‘Flood’ signs much nearer to Didcot. Large vehicles are causing a huge amount of damage to verges and road surfaces where they have to turn round.
I contacted the OCC Traffic Regulation team yesterday asking them to put some signs at the Sires Hill junction with Didcot Road, to reduce the traffic through the village. The chairman of Little Wittenham Parish Meeting has done the same, as they are experiencing the same problems. We wait to hear the response.
The notice about insurance on the road closed signs seems to be having an impact. Good idea!
Midday on 3rd and no sign has appeared yet at the bottom of Sires Hill (no sign was posted there last time either!)
11am Friday 5th: there is STILL no warning sign as you approach from Didcot. What there is however is a “Diversion” sign – pointing you up Sires Hill – which is coned off and closed for cabling works. Clever!!
So to get to Doctors we have to go to Didcot then to Wallingford Shillingford etc etc etc