Environment Agency Team building flood defence at Welney bridge. Picture: Steve Williams.

MP STEVE Barclay has launched a Parliamentary campaign to get a new causeway built across Welney Washes to eliminate the cost of the road being closed regularly by flooding.

MP Steve Barclay

He said: “As a local resident myself, I have needed to take a detour when I go to constituency engagements in Littleport.

“I am conscious this is a recurring problem and heavy rainfall this year has made it more acute.”

The A1101 Welney Wash Road was closed for 46 days because of flooding and reopened last week.

The MP for NE Cambs has tabled a series of questions to Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, asking about the cost of closure, the cost of a new road over the Washes, the cost of improved flood defence measures and the frequency of closures in recent years.

Welney wash.

“It would be great to see a solution to this significant problem,” said Mr Barclay, “but it is unclear what the best solution would be. One solution might be a new causeway but that may be prohibitively expensive.

“Another solution might be clearing out the silt, to try to mitigate the road flooding in the first place. We have a problem with a road that is repeatedly closed, a road that is the main access for a number of constituents who incur significant costs.

“If an analysis has been done of the problem, it would be timely to share it with the public.”

Karl Rands, area highways manager for Norfolk County Council, said: “The cost of raising the causeway has not been looked at recently, but is likely to be prohibitive.

“We have been discussing Welney Washes with the parish council, which would like to see the level of the road raised in some locations to reduce the period the road is closed.

“Unfortunately, further investigation showed there was little benefit that could be achieved without causing other problems.

“The Washes are an integral part of the Environment Agency’s flood relief plan for the River Ouse and any changes to the road would not be allowed to affect water levels on the Washes.”