An alert system warning motorists of closures has been approved for a problematic well-used road in and out of Tenby, which has been subject to ongoing flooding for many years.
County Councillor for the ward of St Florence, Cllr Rhys Jordan has shared an update on the situation at the B4318 Gumfreston road, following discussions at a meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s cabinet meeting on Monday, February 10.
Cllr Jordan had bemoaned the fact that closures were not effectively communicated to residents, causing inconvenience, delays, and potential hazards.
He said: “After over a year of pushing for action, I’m pleased to share that 𝐂𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 for the 𝐁𝟒𝟑𝟏𝟖 𝐚𝐭 𝐆𝐮𝐦𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧—similar to the Cleddau Bridge closure updates.
“This means that whenever the road floods and becomes impassable, 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐮𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥-𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐬, helping you plan ahead and avoid disruption.
“Like many of you, my preference would be for a 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐩𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 to the road to 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, but unfortunately, that isn’t going to happen anytime soon.
“However, that won’t stop me from continuing to fight for long-term improvements!
“In the meantime, I hope this 𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐞𝐫 for those who rely on the road,” added Cllr Jordan, who is also the county councillor for nearby St Mary Out Liberty (New Hedges) ward.
Back at the turn of the year, Cllr Jordan shared his frustration on the matter, especially in light of ongoing issues where PCC’s digital warning signs in the vicinity, constantly fail.
“It feels like the road is underwater every few days, and I have been tirelessly pushing for system upgrades,” he stated on the persistent flooding at Gumfreston Causeway.
“My goal is to implement a system that notifies registered residents of potential flooding, similar to the alerts sent out when the Cleddau Bridge closes due to high winds.
“While raising the road remains the ideal solution, I must be honest; despite my best efforts, this is unlikely to happen in the near future. That said, I will not stop fighting for the improvements we need.”
Meanwhile, Pembrokeshire County Council is seeking public feedback on how it manages flood risk across the County.
The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 requires Local Authorities to publish their local flood risk management strategy and flood risk management plans and request feedback from local residents.
A spokesperson for PCC said: “Public consultation will help identify local knowledge about flood-prone areas, historical flooding events, and community-specific vulnerabilities.
“Local residents and stakeholders can often possess unique insights about their areas that can contribute to the development of an effective flood strategy.
“The consultation will allow the public to understand the rationale behind proposed measures, the potential impacts, and the overall strategy.
“It will also provide information regarding flood protection measures, early warning systems, emergency response plans, and evacuation procedures.”
More details of the consultation is available online at PCC’s website.
You can give your views by completing the online response form.
If you would like a paper copy please call PCC’s Customer Contact Centre on 01437 764551 or email [email protected].
Please complete the survey by Monday, March 17.