Trains started running through the South West again today after Network Rail’s ‘Orange Army’ battled round the clock to fix damage caused by Storm Angus. Passenger services began to return to normal on the vital route 15 hours earlier than expected.
The railway at Cowley Bridge, Exeter reopened at 1pm having been closed since the early hours of Tuesday 22 November. Work to repair the line, which suffered severe flood damage, was initially expected to take 48 hours.
The closure was necessary at Cowley Bridge after flood water washed away track and ballast causing disruption...
The railway has flooded between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple which means trains are unable to run between these stations. This is expected to continue until 18:00 (TUES).
Customer Advice:
At present, no replacement road transport can be sourced, customers are advised not to travel unless absolutely necessary. Where possible, customers travelling towards Bristol Temple Meads or London Paddington are advised to go to Tiverton Parkway where onward travel is available.
You may use First Somerset buses on route 54 between Taunton (Bus Station) and Yeovil (Bus Station...
Residents were today (MONDAY) warned to be on alert after further heavy, persistent rain was expected to move across southwest England. Although the more persistent rain should clear from Devon by early afternoon, heavy and possibly thundery showers are likely to follow.
Please be prepared for disruption to transport due to localised flooding, whilst flooding of homes and businesses is also possible.
Some 20-30 mm of rain is expected fall in a 3-6 hour period in places, and a low risk of this falling in 1-2 hours. There could be as much as 40-60 mm possible locally through...
Services at Axminster Community Hospital are now back to normal after it was temporarily closed last week due to flooding.
The flooding, from a burst water main pipe, caused some infrastructure damage and affected the hospital’s IT services and electricity supply. As a result, services at the hospital had to be temporarily suspended.
Staff from the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and Northern Devon Healthcare Trust, together with partner organisations, worked jointly throughout last week and into this week to fix the problems.
Victims need clearer information on what they can expect in the aftermath of major flooding from the government and other authorities, new University of Exeter research shows.
In a new report, published this week, academics show the importance of action by politicians and officials for people’s recovery from the damaging effects of flooding.
They show how communications after major flooding in 2013/14 contributed to increasing conflict between flood-affected publics and authorities, making it more challenging for these groups to work together to combat future flood risk and...
The governors of Tipton St John Primary School have announced ambitious plans to re-locate their ageing, flood-prone buildings to a brand new site.
The Church of England school has been flooded on a number of occasions with children being evacuated and the school being shut for major clean-up operations.
The governors had applied to Education Minister Lord Nash for funding to re-locate the school within the village.
But they have now been told that the Government will not fund the move to another village site.
Now – following talks with the Diocese of Exeter...
Sandbags were at the ready in Exmouth over the weekend (April 9-10), as East Devon District Council’s StreetScene and REACT (Respond, Enforce and Clean) teams, took fast and efficient action in preparation for predicted south/easterly 50-60mph winds, heavy rain, exceptionally high Spring tides and the risk of potential coastal flooding through wave overtopping.
The council had staff on site throughout the high tides, closely monitoring the situation and liaising with the public on both Saturday and Sunday.
Approximately 900 sandbags were placed in key areas of Exmouth by...
The Environment Agency has announced that it is looking for enthusiastic individuals to get involved in managing flood risk in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.
The South West Regional Flood and Coastal Committee is one of 12 committees across the country that make key decisions on local priorities for flood and coastal risk management.
The Environment Agency is looking for three members of the public to join the committee to represent conservation, inland flooding interests and utilities.
Applicants do not need to be experts in flood and coastal risk...
Dates and details have been set to test the emergency flood plan in place for St Thomas in Exeter.
The first test, a tabletop exercise, will take place at Danes Castle Fire Station on 12 April, between 7pm and 9.30pm. It will be hosted by Devon Fire and Rescue Service and will include members of the St Thomas Community Emergency Group working alongside the Environment Agency and blue light services.
The purpose of the exercise is to test the plan in response to a flood event in St Thomas based on a real-time scenario.
East Devon District Council is working with the Environment Agency to upgrade the sea and estuary defences in Exmouth. The proposed project will reduce the risk of flooding to over 1,000 homes in Exmouth.
Since Autumn 2015, the council’s Exeter based consultants WSP │ Parsons Brinkerhoff have reviewed information gathered from flood modelling, a topographic survey and geotechnical investigations and developed a number of options to upgrade Exmouth’s flood defences along the estuary side and sea front.
Following this, East Devon has held consultation events with local...
