Wantage flooding: Residents blame ‘blocked drains’

Wantage has been prone to flooding with recent months in particular posing problems for residents.

An area which has worsened is Manor Road according to locals who have photographed the overflowing water.

Colin Campbell has lived in Wantage for seven years and has safety fears over the regular flooding that the town faces.

The flooding in Wantage on Manor Road. (Image: Colin Campbell)

“Flooding happens every year and it got very serious in 2020, but it started again in October of last year and has not stopped since,” he said.

“In January, February and March the water was completely across the road and cars had to go through the flood and spray the water which then freezes.

“One of my biggest concerns is the footpath near the road as earlier this year it was just a sheet of ice so nobody is safe.”

The 67-year-old believes the issue is caused by blocked drains and hopes that Oxfordshire County Council will act on it.

“The cause seems to be a manhole and then every manhole after that one for a quarter of a mile down is totally blocked,” said Colin.

The flooded manhole cover on Manor Road. (Image: Colin Campbell)

“On one occasion they sent out a lorry to suck out the drain and the chap said he was only doing one, but what is the point in all of this then?

“I am assuming all the pipework is silted up between them so unless the council do something and clear it, the problem is never going to go away.”

Flooding problems extended to the B4494 road on Tuesday, April 2, when a completely flooded road led to a lorry becoming stuck.

Wantage resident Kacie Grace revealed that her partner was on the road at the same time and described the drive as “horrific”.

“He drove down as all the barriers were down the other end, which has been the problem for weeks,” she said.

The frozen hedge after flood water was sprayed onto it. (Image: Colin Campbell)

“I avoid the road as much as possible as I’m petrified of the sinkholes but before it was closed it was horrific.

“Cars would speed past and the water completely covered the windscreen, and it would force you into the verges."

A council spokesperson responded: “England has just experienced an exceptionally wet winter, particularly the south. As a result groundwater levels are very high.

"We welcome information from local people and will always do what we can to alleviate issues.

The flooding in Letcombe Regis in March. (Image: Paul Barrow)

"However these must be seen in the wider context of the winter.

“Highway drains flow into watercourses. These watercourses have been persistently full throughout winter in Oxfordshire and elsewhere.

"The river levels and the saturation of the land is clearly not something the council can control.

"We work closely with landowners and others to reduce the impact of land drainage on the highway network as much as possible."