Work on the replacement Foss barrier is progressing again as river levels fall.
The huge new gate was lifted into place last month
The original barrier was installed in 1987 but was overwhelmed in the 2015 floods.
A new pumping house has been installed along with the barrier and improved banking.
The cost of the project is put at £37 million.
In a separate scheme, the nearby “Blue Bridge” cycle and pedestrian facility was also refurbished last year.
Forecasters are saying that it will get warmer next week.
With the thaw will come rain and concerns about flooding.
The worse floods in York have usually occurred when the ground has been saturated, where there has also been rapid snow melt upstream and when this has coincided with heavy rain.
We hope this doesn’t happen next week.
Meanwhile we have had some rare winter views to enjoy in and around the City over the last few days.
The York Council will consider tomorrow adding over £20 million to its debt burden.
The cost to taxpayers of paying interest and redemption charges on the extra borrowing is put at £1.4 million a year.
The Council says that the costs of the new Knapton forest will now be met from “external sources”. It is therefore switching that expenditure into buying electric vehicles and associated charging facilities at a cost of over £5 million.
£100,000 will fund an “access barrier review”. This is thought to be a response to a section of the cycle lobby which is opposed to the use of safety barriers where they slow cycle movements. While an audit of infrastructure standards and repair works on the York cycle network is long overdue, concentration of limited resources on the relatively trivial barrier issue reflects poor prioritisation.
£1.1 million will be spent repairing Lendal Bridge while £1 million is reserved for the – more than slightly opaque – “COVID recovery fund”.
Probably the most controversial proposal is the plan to cut another £3.2 million from highways maintenance. This is the fund which is used to reconstruct road and path surfaces. It is a long-term investment which gives carriageways a 30 year plus lifespan. In turn this minimises the risk of frost damage. The large number of potholes which we have seen on the highway network recently suggests reconstruction should be a high priority.
. The cut in the highways maintenance budget is partly justified by officials who point to the £5 million being paid by central government for the resurfacing of Tadcaster Road (for the second time in less than a year). The resurfacing will not provide any additional benefit for road users.
Money is being transferred from highways resurfacing to fund the Council’s £2 million contribution to the Fordlands Road flood alleviation scheme. This is the scheme which should have been completed, and funded, as part of the recent improvements to the A19 in Fulford.
The report points out that there could still be further costs to be added to the budget as work on York Central, the Guildhall, Castle Gateway and dualling the outer ring road proceeds.
A copy of the proposed programme can be viewed by clicking here
The level of the River Ouse now appears to have peaked. It should return gradually to normal levels over the next few days, although some additional snow and rain is forecast.
Think we can safely say that it may be some time before Naburn fully dries out
The revised highest level forecast for the River Ouse in the next 36 hours is 4.74m at 12:30pm Friday 22nd January 2021.
Several areas in York may be subject to flooding during the next 24 hours. Click on the graphic for updates
LIVE Q&A TONIGHT With river levels expected to peak between 4.4 and 4.8m tonight our #AskTheLeaders session will focus on answering your questions about flooding. E-mail your question in advance to YourQuestions@York.gov.uk or ask them live on our facebook live steam.
There has been some persistent rain in York. This has brought some issues with flooding and surface water.
Please take the opportunity to report any blocked drains or other issues which may be a hazard for residents. Click here
The ice and snow has largely disappeared from York today.
In its place are a new – and not so new – crop of potholes.
Please help to make the City safer by reporting any that are a danger to road users.
The next problem we are likely to face is flooding. Three Flood Warnings are already in place for the City.
It will be two or three days before the snow melt in the Dales & Moors catchment areas reaches the City.
Progress can be viewed by clicking the image below.
Surface water drainage seems to be less of a problem at the moment.
The Knavesmire flood works seem to have reduced the standing water problem which was a feature of most winters until recently.
City of York Council and partners are putting in place flood defences to ensure York residents and businesses can get on with ‘business as usual’ despite river levels rising after Storm Bella.
With river levels predicted to peak at around 4 metres in the early hours of tomorrow (Monday 28 December 2020), the council has acted early to put in place defences to protect those areas most affected.
With no more rain predicted today, the river level is exected to slowly decline after peaking in the early hours of tomorrow. The council will not be issuing sandbags to properties unless the forecast levels rise.
For more information on floods in York, including advice on how to prepare, visit www.york.gov.uk/floods . Information on flood warnings is available at https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings
For travel advice listen to your local radio and news services, or follow @york_travel and @cityofYork on twitter.
Council has teams on standby to support residents and businesses in a COVID- secure way as river levels set to peak
Minor flooding of riverside paths has occurred over night. (click)
City of York Council has front line teams on standby to support residents and businesses as river levels are set to peak on Wednesday 4 November.
The council is working with the Environment Agency and will use the latest advice to identify peak levels and will communicate any potential impacts separately.
Letters are being sent to residents living in homes and properties which might be directly affected by high river levels, which provides advice and support as well as the measures being put in place.
The council is working closely with the York and North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which includes police and fire services as well as North Yorkshire County Council, Met Office and Environment Agency.
View the latest river level predictions and warnings here.
Defences are being deployed today/tomorrow at Clementhorpe,Tower Street and Peckitt Street. Rowntree Park will also remain closed tomorrow after closing tonight.
Advice and support:
When there’s flooding in York, the council will provide assistance, practical support and information as soon as it’s safe and appropriate to do so – all in a COVID secure way.
Sandbags: If your home/property is at immediate risk of flooding – then you don’t need to contact us. We’ll provide sandbags to communities based on the latest forecasted levels.
Rest Centres: We have teams on standby to help provide and support should you need this. Rest centres have been redesigned to ensure they are managed in a COVID-safe environment.
Social care support:
If you know of someone who may be in need of social care and support contact our Adult Social Care Team, email: adult.socialsupport@york.gov.uk or telephone: 01904 555111 (or textphone: 07534 437804, for sensory impaired callers), between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Emotional support:
The Major Incident Response Team have trained volunteers on hand to provide emotional support to those affected by incidents such as flooding. The team are here to help and you can contact them on mirt@york.gov.uk
The Environment Agency river forecasters will continue to monitor the situation 24/7 and provide further updates. Please keep an eye out for the latest information and alerts from the Environment Agency for updates on river levels in the city.
Drivers, pedestrians and cyclists should not enter or travel through flood water which has risks from hidden obstacles and health hazards.
Keep up to date with the latest flood warnings and situation in your area at https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/target-area/122FWF755
Follow the council’s website for further updates at: www.york.gov.uk/floodadvice
To report debris/fallen trees please visit www.york.gov.uk/reportproblems
You can also follow @EnvAgencyYNE and #floodaware on Twitter for the latest updates. Or call Floodline on 0345 9881188
Keep up to date with the weather forecast and weather warnings at www.metoffice.gov.uk or listen to BBC Radio York
Follow advice from North Yorkshire Police about driving in wet conditions.
Councillor Paula Widdowson, Executive Member for Environment and Climate Change, at City of York Council said:
