Additional flood protection work has been undertaken by the Environment Agency in Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, to alleviate concerns near the A38 at Branston.
The project, which began last summer in 2021, will lower flood risk for 397 houses, including 18 that were flooded in February 2020.
The whole investment in Burton, which includes £2 million from the National Highways Designated Funds program, totals over £30 million and protects over 4,600 households and 1,000 businesses against floods.
Since 2000, the A38 near Branston and surrounding houses have been flooded many times.
When the River Trent was high, water entered into Severn Trent Water’s bad sewerage system, highway drains, and low land, flooding properties and the roadway, according to an inquiry.
When the River Trent is high, water will be contained in Tatenhill Brook thanks to the installation of sheet piling walls, embankments, and non-return valves.
The Environment Agency’s Senior Flood Risk Adviser, Will Groves, said:
“This latest completed work has been funded from the £30 million set aside to improve the flood defences in the Burton-upon-Trent area.
“We want to thank all members of the local community for their understanding and patience while these works have taken place.
“Our team first started construction work in Burton in 2019 and the improved flood defences have already successfully protected properties, which otherwise would have been affected by floods, in the last two years.
“While these defences should provide reassurance to communities and businesses, no one should have a false sense of security. We strongly urge people to sign up for flood warnings and regularly check flood risk via our website”
National Highways Programme Development Manager, Ian Doust, said:
“We are committed to reducing flooding on our roads and also minimising flood risks to the communities who live alongside them.
“In response to the changing climate, we are investing in schemes such as this which will improve the flood resilience of our network and reduce the flooding risk to our neighbours.
“It is extremely rewarding to see the completion of this scheme which will not only protect our roads and people living alongside them for generations to come but in the future will also enhance the waterside habitats enabling wildlife to thrive.”