Flooding has continued to hit communities near the rivers Avon, Chew and Boyd, including Keynsham, Saltford, Swineford, Hanham and Bitton.
There have been reports of some boats sinking at Hanham and the picture on the left shows how high the water has been by The Chequers in recent days.
Bath and North East Somerset Council’s river champion Cllr Dave Laming reported today his Phoenix Boatyard on the Broadmead Peninsula at Keynsham and workshops were under water again and the access road impassable.
The prolonged period of wet weather has increased the risk of land slips and people are being warned not to walk on riverbanks or watercourses for the foreseeable future, and advised not to drive or walk through flood water. A footbridge over the River Chew in Keynsham Memorial Park that was closed on New Year’s Eve because of erosion concerns is inaccessible anyway because so much of the park is flooded.
Many of the pitches at the Fry Club have been totally submerged, as our picture here shows. The top of a goalpost is just about visible.
On the other side of the railway line and Keynsham bypass, Keynsham Rugby Club and Keynsham Football Club grounds and Broadland Academy’s playing fields also remain under water.
Fields around Bitton and Swineford area are also badly flooded and the stretch of the A431 from Bitton to Penn Hill Road in Bath was closed today because of flooding, with First buses diverted via Keynsham and Saltford.
The Environment Agency said tonight that up to 11mm of rainfall was expected by tomorrow and although the level of the River Avon at Saltford was falling, it might rise in response to the forecast rainfall.
For up-to-date information, the Environment Agency’s Floodline is 0845 988 1188.
