Real Time Flood Warning for River Adur at Mockbridge, Henfield, West Sussex

Install an electronic warning system on the A281 now.

Henfield and Shermanbury Parish Councils are calling on West Sussex County Council Head of Local Highway Operations and West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport - Cllr Joy Dennis joy.dennis@westsussex.gov.uk  to install a flood alert system which can be linked to the actual river levels.

Flooded roads are dangerous. Every winter we face more disruption, vehicles are often stranded needing rescue and there is a fatal accident waiting to happen.

As you approach the bridge on the A281 there is no indication whether the water is an inch or a foot high. At night the flooding is virtually invisible until you hit the water – literally.

30 years ago flooding of the River Adur was unusual, but flooding incidents have increased year on year. The River Adur now breaks its banks  2, 3 or more times a year, each time with more severity. Climate change and the number of new houses and developments upstream from Mockbridge including the Burgess Hill Northern Arc mean that less water is absorbed by the surrounding land, instead running straight off the concrete and tarmac. The water has nowhere else to go but into the River Adur.

We are asking for a fast, cost effective option to make the A281 safer now with a real time warning system on the bridge . Followed at a later date by the installation of flood warning signs on the A281 at Wheatsheaf Rd and Partridge Green Rd. A reliable and accurate alerting system would enable motorists to take action and avoid being stranded.

If you are a local resident who is affected by the flooding at Mockbridge and would like to see a warning system please sign the petition.