More action needed to stop flooding

There has been some really horrible weather of late across the country and if it hasn’t been high-speed winds causing destruction and disruption, it’s been tsunami-like rain leading to flooding which, in many cases, has led to people’s homes and businesses being destroyed.

Flooding is certainly not a new thing and despite works to stop this result of inclement weather, many of us feel that authorities are not doing enough.

It is felt that enough time has passed and evidence has been seen of the areas susceptible to flooding for authorities to create a watertight infrastructure rather than continually putting people through the trauma of losing out every time.

With rivers bursting their banks and farmland flooding onto badly laid roads with inadequate drainage, it’s the perfect storm in many respects for unnecessary turmoil.

Ashford is like any other town or city - it is surrounded by many rivers and streams and floodplains which have in recent years been built on.

Some developments such as Asda, B&Q, the Stour Centre and the council offices have been been built on stilts or indeed in a way that they don’t flood, but in B&Q’s case, it still doesn’t stop it from flooding.

Back in 1973, the old A20 Ashford bypass (now part of the M20) flooded near to Canterbury Road and saw drivers and a Sainsbury’s lorry stranded following adverse weather.

The same year, the Stour Centre site in Tannery Lane was underwater during its early months of construction when the adjacent River Stour burst its banks.

One wonders why such locations were chosen for such projects with major rivers in close proximity.

This week’s Remember

When takes a look back at a trio of images from the said floods in 1973 and at the aforementioned locations.

■ Do you have any photographs or slides of old Ashford you would be willing to loan me to enable them to be scanned for possible feature in the Kentish Express?

Please don’t delay, feel free to get in touch.

Write to me: Steve Salter, Kentish Express Remember When, Unit 4, Park Mall Shopping Centre, Ashford, Kent, TN24 8RY.

Email me: rememberwhen_ kmash@hotmail.co.uk

Follow me on Twitter: @ SteveKMAshford.

Or you can also leave a telephone message for me with brief details by calling the Kentish Express office in Park Mall on 01233 623232.

Another view showing the stranded Sainsbury’s lorry precariously leaning over in the floods with motorists stranded further along

Floods at the Stour Centre site - which opened in February 1975 - close to the River Stour which has burst its banks; the one-time Energen factory can be seen across the river

The storms of 1973 saw the one-time A20 Ashford bypass under water. Here drivers including one in a Sainsbury’s lorry - have become stranded in the floods