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Friday 25 May 2018

New flood alleviation scheme planned to start next month

Region & Route:

Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

A temporary road closure will be in place at Station Road in Hele, Devon, from Tuesday 29 May as Network Rail is planning to carry out a flood resilience project in the area. Flooding has been a long standing problem in and around Hele, and a scheme has been developed which will not only reduce the risk of flooding to the railway, but also to nearby homes and businesses.

The road will be closed from 29 May so that engineers can divert vital utility services in preparation for the flood resilience project that will start later this summer – subject to planning approval.

During the road closure, Network Rail will be funding a shuttle bus service, to take passengers to Cullompton, where they will link with normal bus services. Responding to conversations with the local community, pedestrian access will be in place across the flood plain, which residents had suggested was their preferred option at the recent drop-in meeting.

The flood resilience project around Station Road in Hele is one of a number of schemes under the Department for Transport’s £26.5m Flood Resilience Programme, established after extreme weather in 2012 and 2014 caused extensive disruption to the rail network.

Subject to planning consent, the work will involve replacing part of Station Road and the bridge leading to Devon Valley Mill with new structures that will allow more water to pass through them. The project will also include changing the gradient of some of the land on the approach to the level crossing to provide better drainage. This will reduce the number of incidents of flooding and their severity, meaning less disruption for passengers and the local community.

Victoria Bradley, Network Rail’s project sponsor, said:  “This is an important project for Network Rail and along with our work at Cowley Bridge will mean less disruption for passengers in the future. In the case of Hele, our work will also have benefits for residents and local businesses.

“We understand this temporary closure of Station Road will inconvenience residents, which is why we have been keen to meet their needs by providing the bus service and making sure pedestrian access is in place for its duration.”

Stagecoach will be operating the 1B service as a shuttle bus between Bradninch to Cullompton during the road closure. Please see https://www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/south-west/bradninch-shuttle-timetable-from-29-may-2018 for further details.

More information about how flooding on the railways causes delays – and what we’re doing to reduce it – can be accessed here: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/looking-after-the-railway/delays-explained/flooding/