Ironbridge footpath repairs begin despite yet another rise in river levels
Repairs to Ironbridge's footpaths have now begun despite river levels rising again.
The River Severn in the Gorge was set to peak at up to 5.8m last night – about 1m less than last week.
But the respite from floods over the weekend gave the Environment Agency the chance to repair the barriers, and flooding was expected to be kept to a minimum.
Telford & Wrekin Council is waiting for more information about when the barriers will be removed, with the agency looking towards next week's weather forecast.
Crews from Balfour Beatty were out in Ironbridge repairing the footpaths.
The council tweeted: "Thank you Balfour crews who have been undertaking repairs to the footways along The Wharfage to ensure they are safe and accessible when all businesses start to reopen as usual."
A full review of repairs needed in The Wharfage will be carried out when the barriers are removed, and the council does not yet know what work will be needed to get it ready for vehicles.
However, a spokeswoman for the council said work would be carried out as quickly as possible so that the usually busy road can be reopened to traffic.
They believe there is no significant damage to the road, and that it will not be a big job to rectify it.
There had been concerns about the state of the road after the long line of blue barriers protecting the Wharfage from the River Severn moved under pressure of the river.
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Witnesses reported hearing a loud crashing noise as they were dragged across the road.
Flood barriers in Ironbridge buckled because they had not been placed completely flat.
He said the strength of the barrier’s metal slats was affected by the incline, adding that they work best when perfectly horizontal. Permanent barriers would be impractical, he said, because of planning issues in the Gorge, which is a World Heritage Site.
