Oxford’s Abingdon Road Reopens After Second Flood Closure This Year

A significant urban thoroughfare, which had been inundated following the overflow of two rivers, has resumed operations after its temporary closure, marking the second such incident this year. Specifically, Abingdon Road in Oxford was sealed off during the early morning hours subsequent to the Thames and Cherwell rivers exceeding their banks due to Storm Conall; however, drivers persisted in navigating through the submerged sections. The road became accessible to drivers around 15:00 GMT, though vehicular movement remained sluggish. By 17:00, a total of 15 flood warnings were active across Berkshire and Oxfordshire, complemented by an additional 25 flood alerts. Specific flood warnings were issued for areas bordering the River Thames, encompassing Shiplake, Lower Shiplake, Wargrave, Purley, Dorchester, Culham, and Abingdon. Furthermore, Clifton Hampden, Dorchester, and Little Wittenham were likewise under flood warning advisories. Concurrently, flood alerts were active along the River Cherwell at Lower Heyford and Oxford, along the River Ock within Abingdon, and along the River Ray in Islip. Within Berkshire, flood alerts persisted for the Kennet River and its associated tributaries, extending from Berwick Bassett to Newbury, and continuing along the same river stretch from Thatcham to Reading. Anna Railton, the deputy leader of Oxford City Council, expressed that the conduct of certain road users who traversed the floodwaters on Abingdon Road, notwithstanding the issued warnings, was “super disappointing”. The road had previously been shut down in January due to significant flooding following Storm Henk. Ms Railton commented: “One of the things we learned from [previous flooding in] January was the closure of Abingdon Road had to be managed way better. So it’s frustrating to see that is not the case again. “I’m pretty sad that so many people are driving through what is clearly a police road closure in both directions.” Oxfordshire County Council, the authority responsible for the road’s upkeep, stated that it was inaccessible “for a short time” on Wednesday morning to facilitate the removal of water. The council also indicated that the bus gate located in High Street was temporarily unenforced, allowing drivers to utilize it as an alternate route to Abingdon Road. Dean Gosnell, a resident of Purley whose home experienced flooding in both January and February, remarked: “It’s difficult to clean it all up afterwards. None of the drainage works so that causes more problems.”There is very little that can be done. People cannot stop the water so if it’s coming, it’s coming.“Every time it happens everybody gets together and says we need to do something… and then it dries and everyone goes back to their lives and forgets about it and nothing ever really gets done.” Railway operations have also encountered difficulties. Services at Newbury station experienced delays after a platform became covered in sewage due to a burst water main. The station had previously been affected by inundation from Storm Bert over the weekend, resulting in a reduced capacity for train usage. Nevertheless, Great Western Railway announced its anticipation of an improvement in the situation over the next few days. For further updates, BBC Oxfordshire can be followed on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.