It is well known that the Wraysbury Drain has been blocked at Feathers Lane for years – and this problem is still awaiting action.
The complete RBWM Section 19 Report on the Storm Henk Investigation (January 2024) can be found here
For your convenience I have reproduced some detail on road and drainage problems below:
There was 1 road closure within Wraysbury Parish. This was:
• Welley Road – While Welley Road was the only road formally closed, a number of other roads were inaccessible due to the flooding. These included (but may not be limited to):
• Hythe End Road
• The Island
• Friary Island
• King John’s Close
• Feathers Lane
Wraysbury was also not accessible from the north as due to the Horton Road and Datchet Road closure in Datchet Parish. This meant that traffic looking to enter or leave Wraysbury was forced to go via the M25 or through Surrey.
Much of the impact was also felt in Wraysbury due to the time it took for water levels to subside. As groundwater levels remained high for months, residents could not access their gardens or in some cases their properties for long periods of time. The village green was
also reported to not be useable for recreational activities. This remained the case until the summer.
Groundwater flow was an additional issue at the Village Green. This was linked to the increase in levels to the lakes to the north which were filled by fluvial flows. Water in the lake is likely to have flowed through the ground to the lower lying village green. The Wraysbury Drain would then normally take flood waters away from the village green to rejoin with the Thames in Hythe End. The flooding in January 2024 made it clear that reports of a blockage in Hythe End were very likely as photos following the incident showed the watercourse at bank full levels at Feathers Lane in Hythe End, but a very low flow at downstream sections of Hythe End Road. As such, there was limited flow available for the water to be disposed of and likely increasing the amount of time it took for groundwater levels to reduce on the village green. Groundwater flooding was also reported to be a significant issue at Hythe End Road as residents reported that in many cases properties were impacted by groundwater flowing from fields to the north before they were impacted by fluvial flooding from the south.
So what’s the problem here? The authorities have a legal duty to investigate a flood event and to compile and publish a report – which they have done – but nothing more.