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4 swindonlink.com • March 2010
Haydon flooding works provide important lesson for the future

The remedial work being undertaken by Thames Water to ensure that Haydon Wick does not suffer a repeat of the devastating flood damage
of 2007 is scheduled to be completed by the end of March.
Richard Hailstone, chairman of as part of the Abbey Meads develop- velopers’ Section 106 contributions the bridges can be safely upgraded.
Haydon Wick Parish Council, said ment. It is believed that not having for part of this work. However the Funding for the project would then
“residents are on the whole pleased this pumping station in operation Environment Agency is carrying have to be considered against na-
with the speed of response of contributed to the flooding. out surveys to determine whether tional priorities.”
Thames Water to the problem. The Richard added, “Haydon Wick
size of the new pipes should ensure Parish Council raised this as an is-
flood water is accommodated in sue at the time, but the developers Steam railway future under threat
the future.” assured us that they had carried
The pumping station at Haydon out reliable hydrographic surveys. by Wiltshire housing plans
Wick has also been reinstated as Unfortunately with hindsight these Wiltshire Council plans to build over 3,000 houses between West
part of the project, having been proved not to be adequate. Swindon and Purton would be a ‘disaster’ according to John Ferris,
decommissioned 10 to 15 years ago “This experience has shown that chairman of Swindon & Cricklade Railway Trust.
developers need to be more aware “Our main concern is the in- given to the railway which has had
Westlea flood relief of the possibility of future problems creased potential for flooding as plans in development for nearly 20
start date in March and contingency plans should be in the car park at Blunsdon station years. It’s as if no-one knows about
place to deal with them.”
The installation of a second culvert As contractors prepare to leave is regularly under water after the railway.”
under Westlea Drive to increase flow Haydon Wick after two years of only modest periods of rain,” said All of the work undertaken at the
of flood water, that was expected to disruption, Thames Avenue is John. “More housing and reducing railway is carried out by volunteers
commence in mid-January, will now getting back to normal, with the the water holding capacity of the and by supportive businesses.
start on 22 March. pedestrian crossing opposite the River Ray floodplain can only make Funding comes almost entirely from
Westlea Drive will be closed and doctors’ surgery being installed things worse. grants and visitors to the railway.
should reopen by the end of June. during February half term. “The plan shows several roads www.swindon-cricklade-railway.org
Traffic will be diverted away from sweeping across our railway with Tadpole Farm
residential areas and Langstone Bridge work being considered one of them appearing to cut S&CR
Way outside the primary school. Another important component of through the Site of Special Scien- Blunsdon
tific Interest and another crossing
the project is the upgrading work on through Mouldon Hill park. Station Oakhurst Proposed
vacancy the brook that runs through Haydon He said that Network Rail is in or
possible
The Link is looking for an Wick from Sevenfields to the River the planning stage of doubling the access
experienced sub-editor and Ray, including raising its banks and Swindon to Gloucester line and a River Ray
replacing several old farm bridges.
InDesign user for a few days Coun Hailstone said, “Swindon station with a car park for com-
a month. See details at Borough Council is releasing some muters close to Sparcells is being
www.swindonlink.com money from the North Swindon de- considered.
Trust volunteers are extending Pry Farm
the steam railway south towards 2,000 houses
Mouldon Hill where a platform Taw
Hill
called Taw Valley Halt, opposite
the Tawny Owl pub, is scheduled Taw Valley
for completion next year. Halt
In the long term the trust dreams Moulden
of extending their railway to the Hill Park
mainline and having a shared Swindon to Gloucester railway line
River Ray
platform so that passengers from
Cricklade can make a connection. Ridgeway Farm
800 houses
The housing plan for The Pry
ignores this said John. “It is unbe-
lievable that no thought has been Sparcells

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