Story: Douglas Johnson | Photo: Ellie Bennett
Two years ago, the Wicker was flooded, causing extensive damage to businesses and disruption to everyone.
The clean-up operation took huge resources and many businesses have still not fully recovered. So traders were worried to find the Wicker flooding again – not once, but three times in a month – as drains failed to cope with torrential, but predictable, summer downpours. On Monday 6th July, the chaos was compounded by a broken-down bus on the Wicker all morning.
Ellie Bennett of the Wicker Chemist said their cellars were flooded again by water backing up the drains and that their front doors were threatened with the wash caused by buses tavelling through the water. Like other people who had attended the Wicker Community Forum meetings, she was concerned that the drainage recently laid in the construction of the ring road was unfit for purpose.
It is unclear what solutions can be found.
“At least the council are talking to us,”
said Ellie.
On another note, the Wicker Community Forum heard definite plans to improve signage for motorists on the Wicker.