Essex County Council issues plea to motorists ahead of stormy weather warnings
- Credit: Submitted
Essex County Council is encouraging residents to take extra care on the roads today (Friday) and Sunday, following news from the Met Office warning of possible thundery showers, heavy rain and very windy weather.
Essex County Councillor Rodney Bass, cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: “It is always important to take extra care on the roads in bad weather.
“Leave sufficient time to travel and make sure your vehicles are prepared to deal with traffic disruption. Before setting off, check the latest weather forecasts and travel updates on local radio and online.
“If the forecast is for bad weather, only make journeys that are absolutely necessary.”
• Before travelling check the latest road and rail updates as there may be disruption and extended journey times may be experienced. Residents can check for the latest traffic updates by listening to local radio, or by visiting www.essex.gov.uk/highways, www.twitter.com/Essex_Travel and www.twitter.com/PreparedinEssex.
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• If you encounter standing water, drive with care and slow down, particularly as the wash from vehicles travelling through water can flood adjacent properties or cause other vehicles to stall. Your brakes may also be adversely affected.
• Where there is water on the highway such as a ford, this could be deep and should be avoided.
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• If you are in an area where flooding has happened in the past, keep abreast of the current weather forecasts and log on to the website www.metoffice.gov.uk for the weather warnings for your area.
• Check the Environment Agency’s website to see if you are in a location which is at risk from flooding at www.environment-agency.gov.uk.
• Check that grills near you are clear of debris or obstruction. It is a landowner’s responsibility to keep watercourses free-flowing, unless known otherwise. DO NOT approach unsafe structures or fast-flowing water, even to clear blockages.
Contact details for agencies that provide 24-hour advice and general guidance on flood issues can be found at on the Essex County Council webpage www.essex.gov.uk/flooding.
Floodline has news of the latest flood warnings on 0845 988 1188.
