Shropshire village roads could be raised to tackle flooding
A Shropshire village which has been cut off by floods could be thrown a lifeline with proposals to raise roads in the area.
Residents in Melverley, near Oswestry, are used to fields being flooded for weeks in winter with occasional problems with the roads.
But the current winter has been one of the wettest on record and the roads in and out of the village have been passable only by 4x4 or agricultural vehicles for days at a time.
A licensee who has been using his vehicle to help neighbours get through the flood has now called for parts of the affected roads to be raised.
John Bewley, licensee of the Royal Hill public house, near Edgerley, for 15 years, said this winter had seen some roads under water for weeks.
The road from Edgerley has often been "welly top high", he said.
"It started in November and carried on until Storm Isabelle a couple of weeks ago," he added.
He said if certain stretches of the roads were raised by just an inch it would help – and more than that would be even better.
"It is all for the want of some more tar, but in the right places."
Meetings will now be held to see whether the worst-affected roads can be improved before next winter.
County councillor for the area, Arthur Walpole, is calling for engineering works on the roads in and out of the village to be carried out.
Councillor Walpole said: "Melverley is on the Shropshire flood plain and as such it will see fields and land flooded.
"The community is used to living in a flood area.
"However, this year has seen a prolonged flood and the roads have been under water more than usual."
He said some residents in his Llanymynech division felt as if they were being forgotten.
"The area plays a vital part in ensuring that towns downstream – Shrewsbury, Ironbridge and beyond – do not flood," he added.
"I feel that it is the least that Shropshire Council should do to ensure that the people of Melverley can get in and out of their village.
"It is a difficult time financially for Shropshire Council and the budget is being scrutinised in detail.
"We are talking to the roads engineers to see what steps could be taken to raise the roads and where the funding for that work can be found."
