15 Feb 2024
After three winters of extreme flooding, residents of a small village lane can look forward to the problem being resolved.
Homeowners in Longmead Lane in Ayot St Lawrence have endured a “river” of rainwater rushing past their houses every time there is a deluge.
One resident, who asked not to be named but is in her eighties, said: “It’s been really bad for at least the last three winters, despite four reports to Herts county council, and nothing ever happens.
“There’s a drain outside in the road which is completely blocked with detritus, but nobody comes out to clear it, even when they resurfaced the road. We were told it was a different department carrying out that work so they couldn’t help.”
Just before Christmas the resident had to call out an ambulance for her husband, but it was unable to reach the house because of the flooding so the crew of paramedics had to wade through the water to reach them.
“Just recently a district nurse became stuck in it. She called the police to help but they couldn’t reach her so she had to wait for a breakdown truck. I know there are far worse cases, with some poor people who have their houses flooded, but something really needs to be done about this.
“The rain water breaks up the road, causing potholes, it destroys the verges, and the lights in our drive need replacing every time it rains as the water blows the fuses when it washes up our drive.”
But after being contacted by the St Albans Times, the county council has revealed work will be taking place to resolve the issue.
A spokesperson said: “We are aware of the flooding on Longmead Lane and our drainage team will be visiting the site on 1 March to carry out CCTV surveys of the drainage system and clear out the gullies and ditches as necessary. We have an annual programme of cleaning out highway drains, however when there is extremely heavy rain of the sort we have seen recently, drainage systems can be temporarily overwhelmed.”
