Heavy rain causes flooding across Shropshire
Heavy rain across Shropshire is causing travel problems, flooding and school closures this afternoon. The Met Office issued an amber weather warning this morning which is valid until 4pm today.
Motorists across Shropshire are reporting poor driving conditions and flooding on some routes while parents have been asked to collect children from some schools.
School Closures
Following the heavy rain, Coalbrookedale and Ironbridge Primary School has closed and children from the school are now being bussed to the Abraham Darby Academy where parents are asked to collect them from the theatre at the Academy. Parents collecting children from there are asked to use the Beacon pub car parking next to the Academy.
Pontesbury Primary School is also closed, as parts of the village flooded. Rushbury CE & Hadnall CE primaries closed and Brockton Primary.
Poor Driving Conditions
A number of county roads also flooded, drivers asked to listen to local radio for the latest updates. Motorists on the M54 have reported brown water running off embankments onto the carriage way close to Wellington.
Vicki Bristow from the Safer Roads Partnership commented: “With the recent heavy rainfall and with more forecast for today, we are urging all motorists to take care on affected roads, follow our advice and use their own common sense whilst water levels are still high.”
The following road are affected by flooding:
- A49 closed at Sandford Avenue junction
- A41 flooding between Newport and Whitchurch
- The Wharfage and Buildwas Rd in Ironbridge
- Dale Rd as it enters Ironbridge
- A488 Pontesbury flooded but passable
- A49 Onibury southbound flooded
- Clun west of Craven Arms B4368
- Unclassified Atcham to Crosshouses road is closed
- Bomere Heath Huffley Lane flooded
- B4386 at Westbury closed
- Cross Houses to Atcham road
- Underdale Road in Shrewsbury (under the railway bridge)
- Condover to Condover Park
- Dorrington to Stapleton
- Local roads at Vennington, Hinton, Betton Strange, Westbury.
- Newport Road in Albrighton (closed from A41 to Bowling Green Lane)
- Watling Street in Craven Arms
- The A49 north of Shrewsbury is closed from the Battlefield Island, by the Two Henrys pub, to the Livestock Market Island. A diversion is being set up via the A53 to Shawbury across to Preston Brockhurst. Signs are in place to notify drivers of the road closure and diversion.
Simon Jones, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for transport, said:
“Shropshire Council’s highways and transport teams are working hard to ensure the safety of drivers in the county and all available resources are being utilised to deal with flooding issues. We are urging all motorists to exercise caution in adverse weather conditions, stay alert to local weather and news reports, and if your local area is experiencing flooding it’s advisable to leave any non-essential travel until it has subsided.”
Public Transport
The bad weather has also been causing major problems on the trains with no trains running from Wellington to Shrewsbury, Wem to Yorton and through Church Stretton. Passengers are being provided with a bus service.
Shropshire Fire & Rescue Service say they are extremely busy and the public are urged to contact them only if life is at risk, not to report low level flooding.
Shropshire council have said that sandbags are available from Shropshire Council’s highways depots for people in particularly affected areas. For help or advice, call the council’s customer service team on 0345 678 9000.
If you are experiencing flooding in the Telford & Wrekin area you can contact Telford & Wrekin Council on 01952 380000 for further advice.
The rain is forecast to continue until later today. For flooding advice visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk for and weather advice www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/uk/uk_forecast_warnings.html
