Bramford
1. The Internal Drainage Board (IDB) and I have collaborated with residents in Chapel Field where the storm course travels through their gardens to the River Gipping, to ensure they’re aware of their responsibility to keep the culverts clear.
2. Mid Suffolk District Council has regraded the ditch on its land along Flindell Drive. This work has allowed Suffolk Highways to clear years of silt buildup from the pipe running beneath Flindell Drive.
3. Surveyed pipes under Bullen Lane and The Street for blockages. This work was completed in July 2024.
4. We will be restoring 1.8 km of ditch along Bullen Lane and installing a series of “leaky dams” to manage water flow. These dams will slow down the water entering the storm channel, helping prevent it from being overwhelmed during heavy rainfall.
Suffolk Highways is working closely with landowners of fields along the B1113 to reduce the risk of water runoff from these fields, aiming to prevent village flooding like that experienced earlier in 2024.
Great Blakenham
I was pleased to secure funding from the Flooding and Drainage Capital Programme for a project on Gipping Road in Great Blakenham, which involved a four-week intensive effort to resolve persistent flooding issues.
1. Raising pavement kerbs to improve water flow and prevent overflow.
2. Installing a large soakaway system to absorb excess water.
3. Replacing collapsed pipes to ensure better drainage.
4. Thoroughly unblocking drains to restore full capacity.
These upgrades have greatly reduced flooding risk, providing safer and more reliable road conditions for residents and commuters.