Flooded road closed for more than 80 days the 'biggest threat' to Welney businesses

  • ITV News Anglia's Stuart Leithes reports on how the road closure is having a devastating impact on local businesses

Businesses based near a road that has been closed for more than 80 days since October because of flooding have called for urgent action to tackle an issue described as "the biggest threat" to their long-term survival.

The A1101 Welney Wash Road on the Norfolk-Cambridgeshire border crosses a flood plain which means that the village of Welney is often cut off.

When the road is impassible, lengthy diversions have to be put in place by highways officials at Norfolk County Council - taking custom away from local businesses in the process.

Gina Birch, who has been the landlady at the Lamb and Flag pub for the past 25 years, said that the frequent closure of the road meant she had lost 60% of her trade this winter.

The Lamb and Flag pub is one of the businesses most affected by the road closure. Credit: ITV News Anglia

"We've kept the pub running through Covid, through various economic challenges that we've faced - but I think that this is the biggest threat to the long-term future of the business moving forward," she told ITV News Anglia.

"With other factors like the cost of living overheads, this just compounds the crisis of trying to keep the pub sustainable.

"Our view is that long-term, this is only going to be a problem that's going to increase."

Flooding has been an issue in the area for decades, and locals have formed a flood watch group in the hope of eventually finding a solution.

When the road is closed, a diversion has to be put in place. Credit: ITV News Anglia

One of those proposed solutions is a bridge to help keep traffic moving on the road which is used by around 4,000 vehicles every day.

However, tackling the problem once and for all is "complex", Norfolk County Council admitted.

"The fact is that the causes of flooding along Welney Wash Road are complex, and a full set of mitigation measures would cost as much as £58m," said a spokesperson.

"We’re looking into how such work could be funded, including via government support, but sadly there are no quick fixes for this issue."

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