Works start to find railway bridge flooding fix

Flood waters in Church Hill Road in Thurmaston had previously been drained away

Work to address persistent flooding under a railway bridge has started.

Church Hill Road in Thurmaston, Leicestershire, has long been a known flooding hotspot but after heavy downpours in September, residents called for action to be taken to address the problem.

On Monday, highways teams began clearing drains and carrying out surveys near the bridge.

Leicestershire County Council said the problem was "complex" and was considering a number of options to resolve the issue in the long term.

Residents had previously told the BBC the flooding was posing a "risk" to people with children spotted crossing the railway line above the road to avoid a detour.

'Investigations ongoing'

The work is taking place along a drain system which sits along the railway line - on land owned by Network Rail.

A spokesperson for the council said the rail firm had "so far" given the council access to the land for free.

County councillor Brenda Seaton said: "When the road floods people have to make quite a long detour instead of going under the bridge and it is felt.

"It basically cuts Thurmaston off."

Brenda Seaton, a local councillor, visited the site where the work is taking place

The local authority said the site had a long history of flooding during adverse weather but that the water had previously been drained away in a few days.

Despite previous work carried out by the council, the road flooded again within hours and investigations have continued to identify how to clear the water, the council said.

A spokesperson for the council added: "A number of options are being considered as part of long-term plans to resolve the issues of flooding, but will we not know any detail, or which options are most suitable or affordable, until we have completed our investigations."

A Network Rail spokesperson said it was working closely with the council to give them access to the firm's land.

"This will allow them to conduct detailed surveys and carry out drain jetting this week, with the aim of clearing the floodwater.

"By supporting these efforts, we hope to help find a lasting solution that benefits all the communities involved," they added.