Traffic lights were set up at the railway bridge around 6pm yesterday evening.
Dorset County Council has now confirmed that:
‘The back- up diesel pump did work on the afternoon of 16th June 2016 during the torrential rain storm. The back-up pump kicks in when there is a power cut and the electric pumps fail or the electric pumps can’t cope. Unfortunately, during the height of the storm there was a power cut and therefore due to the unprecedented volume of water the back-up pump could not cope. Once power was resumed then all three pumps were working.
DCC will be back on site Monday when the water has gone down to investigate why the drainage system is not taking the water away.’
At the request of the Chairman of Stratton Parish Council to our County Councillor, Jill Haynes, to pursue this protracted problem, Cllr Haynes contacted DCC yesterday lunchtime, by email, and hopes to get a top level response and action early next week. Cllr Haynes copied her email to both the Director of the Environment – the DCC Council officer who has overall responsibility for highway matters – along with the portfolio holder, the elected DCC council member with responsibility for these issues.
Councillor Haynes wrote to say that the situation was very dangerous indeed and she herself was caught up in the chaos as well. She stated that it was simply is not good enough for a main road to flood in this way. Further, Cllr Haynes has asked that an urgent meeting is set up with those involved including, outside agencies, to see how this problem can be resolved. She agreed that the conditions were exceptional on the afternoon of the storm but saw no reason why the road was still flooded the following day. Additionally, Cllr Haynes reminded DCC that this was an ongoing problem and it needs to be resolved.
As soon as Stratton Parish Council is informed of progress, it will be posted on this website.