Reports of schoolchildren climbing a barrier to cross a dangerous dual carriageway due to a flooded underpass

After heavy rainfall on Tuesday, July 12, the underpass below Bristol Road, near Magicland, was reportedly flooded with up to 15 inches of water from one end to the other.

Other residents were left with no option but to cross the underpass by foot to get to the other side to get to town or to school.

Cheryl Thorne, 59, who lives in Garland Court, does not drive and relies on the underpass to get into town and to take her dog for walks. She said that it was not the first time the underpass had flooded during rainy weather.

She often braves the flood and black sludge with her wellington boots, but on Tuesday, she said, the water was able to reach the top of her boots and seep into them.

She said: “It’s absolutely disgusting. Something has got to be done here.

“It’s the old people I feel sorry for, they can’t walk or wade through it. And what if they went down there and slipped in the sludge?

“The youngsters getting to school are trying to to the other side by climbing the barrier and crossing the dual carriageway. You can’t have children aged five to 16 running across the carriageway!

(The dual carriageway that schoolchildren allegedly crossed to get to school)

“I’ve contacted county highways twice and they said they would look into it but all they had done was put the flood warning sign. I think the drains haven’t been cleaned.

“Last time I walked my dog, I didn’t realise it was flooded. The water went up to my knees, and because I had normal shoes, I was absolutely drenched and left with a lot of black sludge.

“There was an old man with beige trousers and a shopping bag going down there the other time, bless him. I told him ‘you can’t go down there’, but he said he’s got to.

“A mother had to pick her little boy up and wade through the flood to get her boy to playschool. Another man in his 40s had to take off his shoes and walk across the underpass barefoot.”

Cheryl had reported the flood risk of the underpass to county council highways twice, the first time being weeks ago in June and the second being Friday, July 8.

Richard Gray, local highways manager at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “The cleaning out of all the subway drainage is in hand, in fact they started this morning (July 15).

“We’d like to thank residents for bringing it to our attention and for being patient whilst we fix it.

“I have been informed that a significant amount of needles have been found in Fairfax so we are having to slow the process of cleaning out down a bit to ensure safety of the workmen.

“In addition we have found lots of cans blocking the outlet.

“It’s important to us that members of the public let us know about flooded or damaged roads, and encourage them to contact Amey on 08000 514 514 with any information.”

Cllr Joe Harris said that he was aware of the flooding problems at the underpass but that it would cost ‘thousands of pounds’ to increase the drainage capacity.

He said: “Highways do clean the drains regularly, it’s just the volume of rain that floods it. It usually goes in a few hours and it’s difficult to do anything with it unless you spend thousands of pounds looking at the draining system and making them bigger.

“It’s obviously a capacity issue when it rains heavily, especially as the nature of the weather has changed in recent years.

“Highways need to look at the drains, check that the capacity is big enough and put together a proposal, which I will push for. But at the moment, there is not enough money on roads and drains.

“I can’t promise any quick fixes but I will make sure it is a priority.”

Speaking of reports that children had been climbing over the barrier to cross the dual carriageway, Cllr Harris said:”It’s unacceptable. The plan is to get rid of underpasses and to put Crossings.

“For now, when floods happen, highways have to be quick to stick a plaster and sort the issue.”

Cirencester town councillor Roly Hughes said: “When we have torrential rain, all three subways in Cirencester get flooded as the drainage is poor.

“We’ve already had a death a couple of years ago when a lady cut across the bypass to Deer Park School. I want to get things done, not sit back and wait.”