Government may not pay to repair flood damaged road

County council leaders say they may have to fund the repair of the Fownhope to Hereford without government support.

The B4224 road, from Fiddler’s Green to Fownhope, was severely damaged by Storm Dennis in February with a substantial part of the carriage way collapsing.

Highways officials carried out inspections on the road at the time and estimated it would take until the end of September to be fixed.

One local resident asked Herefordshire Council’s cabinet if repair work would go ahead during the lockdown.

However, the council has not had a confirmation from central government that it will receive funding for the repair.

Infrastructure and transport cabinet member John Harrington said: “I am committed to ensuring the reopening of the B4224 as soon as possible when we have completed the significant repairs to the road damaged by Storm Dennis.

“We have not as yet had confirmation that we will receive government funding for all of the repair works (including the repairs at Fownhope) that are needed following Storm Dennis and this may mean that the council will have to fund these works from our own budgets which would be a significant pressure and may mean that we need to review our current capital programme to delay or stop current programmed capital work.

“The leader of the council has written to our local MPs requesting their assistance to secure this and I would ask residents and local businesses to consider doing the same.

“However, given the urgency of the B4224 works these schemes will progress as part of the council’s response to the emergency situation.

“I have agreed officers will continue to use their emergency powers and the repairs of the landslip on the B4224 at Lechmere Ley will therefore commence as soon as possible.”

Coun Harrington also said detailed design works to repair the retaining wall at Stone Cottage on the B4224 will also be progressed.

“The detailed design works to repair the retaining wall at Stone Cottage on the B4224 will also be progressed and I can assure you that we are exploring all opportunities to enable the road to be reopened as soon as possible.

“I am hopeful that this could be achieved by early autumn and I will be pushing to get all works completed as soon as possible with a view to bringing this forward.”