RESIDENTS living in Oxford have handed the Environment Agency a wish-list of measures they think would prevent a repeat of last month's flooding crisis.

One of the ideas is a series of evening classes for people on how to properly prepare for the next flood.

Scores of homes in West Oxford were evacuated last month as water engulfed Duke, Earl, West and South streets.

Flash flooding caused chaos with the swollen River Thames close to bursting its banks and Botley Road closed to traffic.

Osney Island residents' association chairman, Richard Thurston, has drawn up a list of measures to alleviate future flooding, including:

  • A temporary flood barrier/dam for East Street
  • A permanent store for sandbags
  • More frequent flushing of drains and gullies
  • Rebuilding of the wall in West Street/South Street, which came close to collapsing during the floods
  • Heightening the bank at the top of West Street
  • Dredging/clearance of Osney Stream
  • Drainage review in South Street
  • An evening class on how to build DIY flood defences
  • A ban on building in the flood plain until water flows across the western corridor are reviewed.

Mr Thurston said: "We believe almost all these measures are modest and could be delivered quickly and effectively in the near future.

"If a dam had been deployed, the sluice gates could have been lowered slightly, thus reducing the volume of water entering Osney Stream, leading to lower water levels on the west side of the island."

Islanders were told severe flooding was a "once-in-a-40-year occurrence", but have been forced to deal with at least three major incidents in the past seven years.

Environment Agency spokesman Hayley Willoughby said: "We have been working on a study to determine the best option for solving the flooding problem in Oxford.

"This large-scale solution is years away. We have been considering what short-term measures could be taken to reduce the flood risk to Osney and other vulnerable Oxford communities.

"There will be many technical experts at our Oxford surgery next week and they will be pleased to discuss with residents how some of their ideas can be taken forward sooner rather than later."