THIS motorist snapped flouting orders not to drive down flood-hit Abingdon Road is one of many causing waves which are damaging homes.

Residents have hit out at the selfish actions of those ignoring the warning.

Oxfordshire County Council has called police in to enforce the closure after it emerged drivers were ignoring signs not to access the road.

One reportedly even smashed through the barriers to gain access, sending waves of flood water into nearby homes.

Thames Valley Police has strongly advised drivers to avoid the area and not break the cordon.

Paul Ludlam, 46, who works at National Tyres, said people living in the street were fuming as lorries and cars brazenly charged through.

“Companies down here still want their deliveries so they are ignoring the signs. The lorries are shooting through and the waves are sending water into people’s houses.

“That is people’s properties that are being damaged.

“If the police are down there it is about time. I saw a coach going past and told them “What are you doing?” Can’t people read the signs?”

Abingdon Road resident Lee Worrall, 37, said: “The flooding here has been so bad, you can see the water going into properties when people come through.

“Last night (Wednesday) someone smashed through and drove down. What is wrong with some drivers?”

Abingdon Road trader Chris Green, who runs Oxford Furniture Warehouse, said the waves were causing the water table to stay high, and had cut off the rear of her store.

“My shop has been damaged, and I can’t get to the back to see how badly the second hand stock has been hit. The water table has risen because of all these problems. Drivers need to stay away.”

County council spokesman Sam Henry said: “We urge people not to attempt to drive through Abingdon Road while the road closure is in place.”

  • Commuters welcomed the partial reopening of Seacourt park and ride centre yesterday, but complained about a general lack of parking in Oxford.

The city council-run site was still affected by floodwater yesterday, but a limited number of motorists were allowed to park and use the buses, despite signs suggesting it was closed.

No charges for parking were required as drivers could not reach ticket machines which were surrounded by water.

Oxfordshire County Council said that it has not been enforcing parking restrictions in flood-hit  south and west Oxford.

Adrian Beddoe, 48, who is from Wales but works in Oxford, said the closure had caused major disruption.

“It’s good to have it open again,” he said. “But basically there aren't enough parking facilities around here at all.”

David Smith, 55, from Cumnor, said he had been using the park and ride while it was supposed to be closed.

He said: “There’s no way I was going to drive up Botley Road into the city, so I came here and parked in the dry bit. It’s good that they’ve reopened it now, I’m not sure it all needed to close.”

  • The traffic lights at Ferry Hinksey Road and Botley Road in Oxford were out of order yesterday as engineers could not get access to the power feed box. The control wires are locked inside a county council-owned box which is cut off by flooding. Engineers attempting to fix the problem last night said they would try again today.