SRA Annual Report 2021-22: Enhanced maintenance of road drainage structures
Four programmes of enhanced maintenance were organised for Somerset Rivers Authority by Somerset County Council’s Highways Department. The aim is to keep roads open, make them safer, preserve access for communities, and safeguard properties from flooding. These works benefit residents, businesses and visitors, in line with the objectives of Somerset’s 20 Year Flood Action Plan.
Gully-emptying
Somerset County Council’s Highways Department empties gullies in areas most susceptible to flooding once a year. For 13,622 of the highest-risk gullies countywide (too many to list
individually), the SRA funded a second round of emptying, six months after the first. So in 2021- 22, 13,622 gullies were emptied twice.
Drain jetting
125 drains were jetted for the SRA in 2021-22, by district as follows:
• 22 in Mendip
• 36 in Sedgemoor
• 33 in Somerset West and Taunton
• 34 in South Somerset
Under existing budgets, Somerset County Council’s Highways Department can only afford to jet drains when a bad blockage has occurred. SRA funding allows for earlier preventative maintenance at locations known to suffer problems with flooding. Final selections of drains for jetting are made using local knowledge and professional judgement.
Mendip
Meare, Glastonbury Road/St Mary’s Road; Rodney Stoke, Bay Lane, Brangay Lane, New Road, Stoke Street, Wells Road; Street, Westway; Walton, Berhill (x2), Long Lane, Mildred Road, Quarry Batch (x3), South Street, Veal Lane, Walton High Road; Westbury, Westfield Lane; Wookey, Barrow Causeway/Wells Road, Bleadney Batch, Vicarage Road, Wells Road.
Sedgemoor
Axbridge, Parkfield Road; Ashcott, Taunton Road; Badgworth, Bristol Road/Turnpike Road; Bawdrip, Bath Road; Broomfield, Rose Hill; Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, Stoddens Road; Catcott, Manor Road; Chapel Allerton, Stone Allerton Drove; Cheddar, Axbridge Road/Tweentown, Shipham Road; Chilton Polden, Broadway; Durleigh, Enmore Road; East Huntspill, Old Withy Road; Edington, Broadmead Lane; Greinton, Taunton Road; Lympsham, Rectory Way; Lyng, Main Road; Mark, Mark Road/The Causeway; North Petherton, Boomer Lane, Church Walk, High Street; Shapwick, Church Road, Kent Lane, Lippets Way; Shipham, Bristol Road, Broadway; Stawell, Stawell Road; Thurloxton, Church Road; Wedmore, Blackford Road/Pilcorn Street, Coldnose, Combe Batch/Wells Road, Lane from Dungeon to Crate Farm, Glanville Road, Mudgley Road/Billings Hill, Sand Road, Wells Road.
Somerset West and Taunton
Bicknoller, Taunton Road; Bishop’s Hull, Silk Mills Road; Bishop’s Lydeard, Minehead Road (x2); Bradford-on-Tone, Hele Road, Oake Road; Comeytrowe, Jeffreys Way; Huish Champflower, Tanners Hill; Kingston St Mary, Church Lane, Park Lane, Yarford Road; Langford Budville, Harpford Farm Lane, Runnington Lane; Milverton, Wiveliscombe Road; Norton Fitzwarren, Minehead Road, Wiveliscombe Road; North Curry, Queen Square (x2); Oake, Bradford Road, Oake Road, Wiveliscombe Road; Stawley, Greenham Road (x2); Old Cleeve, Roadwater to White Horse pub; Stogumber, Hartrow Gate Cross to Ashbeer Hill; Taunton, Farm View, Highlands; Wellington, Alexandra Road, Hoyles Road, Mantle Street; West Buckland, Silver Street; Wiveliscombe, Hartswell, Jews Lane.
South Somerset
Ashill, Ashill bypass; Bratton Seymour, Cattle Hill, Holbrook Roundabout to Jack White’s Gibbet; Charlton Horethorne, Bugle Farm Lane; Chard Town, Coker Way, Crewkerne Road, Crimchard, Furnham Road, Glynswood (x2), Tatworth Road; Combe St Nicholas, Eleighwater; Henstridge, Lime Kiln Lane; Keinton Mandeville, High Street/Castle Street; Kingsdon, Lower Road, Rocky Hill; Langport, Bow Street/Cheapside; Marston Magna, Camel Street/Marston Road; Mudford, Mudford Sock; North Cadbury, Hearn Lane, Parish Hill; Somerton, Langport Road, South Hill/Sutton Road, West Street to Behind Berry; Stoke Trister, Riding Gate to Bayford Lane; Tatworth & Forton, Lower Coombses, Station Road, Waterlake Road; Yeovil, Reckleford, Reckleford Triangle, Sherborne Road, Wyndham Street; Yeovilton, Bridgehampton Road, Stockwitch Lane.
Trash screen clearing
Most of the county’s trash screens are situated in Somerset West and Taunton. Eight were cleared in the following parishes: Dunster, Ellicombe Lane (between Dunster and Alcombe); Kingston St Mary, Pickney Lane (between Pickney and Nailsbourne); Minehead, Brook Street (Alcombe), Manor Road (Alcombe); Staplegrove, Whitmore Lane; West Buckland, Wellington Road; Wiveliscombe, North Street; Wootton Courtenay, Burrow Road.
Silt trap emptying
More was done in South Somerset than in other districts. Somerset County Council’s Highways Department says this was because “the availability of resources to order and deliver works was a real issue in 2021-22 across the service”.
Mendip
Rodney Stoke, Butts Lane, Hill Lane, New Road; Wookey, Yarley Hill.
Sedgemoor
Wedmore, Orchard Close.
Somerset West and Taunton
Kingston St Mary, Kingston Road.
South Somerset
Allowenshay, Ludney Lane; Barrington, Bonnings Lane, Shelway Lane (x2); Brewham, Kingsettle Hill; Castle Cary, Coopers Ash Lane (x2), Foxcombe Hill; Chard Town, Chardstock Lane (x3), Laurel Gardens (x2), Tatworth Road (x1), Urban footpath (x3); Charlton Mackrell, Somerton Lane; Combe St Nicholas, Stoopers Hill; Compton Pauncefoot, New Road; Corton Denham, Corton Denham Road, Ridge Lane; Cudworth, Cudworth Hill; East Chinnock, Chinnock Hollow; East Coker, Higher Burton (x2); Henstridge, Furge Lane; Long Sutton, Batts Lane; Merriott, Moorlands Road; Milborne Port, Sherborne Road; Mudford, Droveway Lane (x2); North Cadbury, Cary Road; Odcombe, Woodhouse Lane; Pitcombe, Pitcombe Rock; Pitney, Marsh Lane; Shepton Beauchamp, Great Lane (x2), Love Lane; Shepton Montague, Horns Lane (x2); South Cadbury, Buckland Lane; South Petherton, Long Lane, Whitfield Lane; Tatworth and Forton, Paradise Lane, Pop Lane (x2); West Coker, A30 West Coker; Whitestaunton, Howley Road, Mill Lane.