Tackling flooding on the A37

“It’s becoming clearer, as each winter goes by, that flooding along the A37, particularly by the railway bridge, is becoming worse and worse. It is a priority for me to make sure that Dorset Council solves this problem once and for all,” says Lib Dem Councillor David Taylor.

Plans to resurface the section between the Muckleford Junction at Grimstone and the right turn lane to Stratton are currently being finalised. After this will come patching on the eastbound lane between the second Stratton turning and the railway bridge. This will be programmed to coincide with the above scheme.

Dorset Highways Department are also conducting investigatory works on the section (westbound) under the railway bridge to the Stratton junction. This is to determine why we are experiencing extreme flooding.

In extreme weather water is being pushed towards the highway which is breaching the structural wall of the cycleway, getting onto the road, and also entering into our drainage system, surging up through gullies and into the low area under the bridge.

The Council is looking at what improvements and remedial work can be undertaken to reduce the risk of future flooding. The Flood Risk Management Team are also liaising with the landowner and the Environment Agency about enforcement issues.