Problem underpass and cycle path STILL flooding after complaints
A cycle path and underpass flooded again after Storm Herminia hit Swindon.
The Drake's Way Eastern Flyer, accessible from Marlowe Avenue, is currently unusable due to the amount of water filling the tunnel.
The route, which has colourful murals decorating its sides, often falls foul of heavy rain as the low-lying path collects rainwater and any overflow from nearby drains.
There have been several instances of the route becoming inaccessible due to standing water not draining away from the area, and on one occasion it froze over creating a temporary and dangerous public ice rink.
(Image: Dave Cox)
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Read More: Swindon flood investigation aims to discover who owns what
Members of the public have frequently asked for something to be done to stop this from happening.
In 2021, one Adver reader sent in photos and said: "Here is the Drakes Way subway. It floods like this every single time it rains heavily.
"It has been done for years now and still no action taken to fix it."
Part of the issue is that there appears to be an evident confusion of responsibilities for the area.
(Image: Dave Cox) In 2022, Thames Water seemed to believe the issue was it's to resolve
The utility company said the flooding was caused by a surface water pipe that runs from the underpass down to a local watercourse, which is affected when water levels rise in the stream and then back up the pipe causing flooding to the underpass.
It added that it was going to survey to determine if it could lift the last section of the surface water pipe out of the watercourse so that it isn't affected during periods of heavy rain
In March 2023, when the brightly painted subway that had been recently painted by a local mural artist was flooded Swindon Borough Council reiterated this when it told the Advertiser it was the responsibility of Thames Water.
(Image: Dave Cox)
But when the subway was flooded again in 2024, the water company said that it was the responsibility of the borough council.
After flooding issues around the whole of Swindon last year, Swindon Borough Council launched an investigation to identify the causes of frequent inundations and also the best way to prevent them in the future.
But councillor Chris Watts, the cabinet member in charge, says the first issue is to determine where differing responsibilities lie - with the borough council, with Thames Water or with the Environment Agency.
The council is expected to complete the report, known as a Section 19 report, in 2025.
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