ILMINSTER NEWS: More rain and more problems as the drains block up

TERRIBLE rain on Sunday (September 3, 2017) again caused problems in the Ditton Street area of Ilminster with surface flooding.

Thankfully it was nothing like the flooding of July when a sudden downpour caused big problems in the town centre with a number of shops and homes suffering from floodwater.

But the rain on Sunday again caused a part of Ditton Street by the Tesco petrol station to have issues with surface water and photos show that the drains were blocked.

Local residents and business owners have pleaded with highways chiefs at Somerset County Council to sort out the drains before Ilminster again suffers serious flooding.

The rainfall on Sunday is just another reminder to County Hall that something needs to be done sooner rather than later – leaving things go too long could prove too late.

These photos were sent to the Ilminster Press by Kerri Scriven who helped to organise a petition following July’s flooding asking for Somerset County Council to take action.

Cllr John Woodman, the council’s highways and transport spokesman, told Ilminster Town Council last month that the authority would be carrying out a “thorough investigation” into the flooding issues.

He also said gully clearing would be carried out as soon as possible and that he would look at the frequency of when that job was done.

Ilminster’s representative at County Hall, Cllr Linda Vijeh, said that the investigation into flooding problems would be a “lengthy process” but  added that a report with the “findings, an action plan and possible solutions” should be published before Christmas.

There are fears, however, that Ilminster could suffer more flooding problems before then.

The Silver Street Dairy shop in Silver Street in Ilminster town centre only reopened last Thursday (August 31, 2017) having been closed since the flooding of July 23, 2017, because of the damage it sustained.

Owner Caroline Speke told Ilminster Press on Sunday (September 3, 2017) evening that there had been no fresh problems, but she had been nervous at seeing the rain fall and wondering what might happen.

PHOTOS - TOP: The drains in Ditton Street could not cope with the rainfall on Sunday (September 3, 2017).

PHOTOS - ABOVE: More problems in Ditton Street, Ilminster, on Sunday (September 3, 2017) after prolonged rain.

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