Village flood defences ‘at fault’ for deluge
patterns have changed.
“This has placed considerable pressure on the Bridge Street interchange – affecting all routes in and out of Pontypridd town centre.
“Officers are working with our signal engineers to adjust the timings of the traffic lights near Pontypridd Police Station – but unfortunately, due to the increase in traffic movement delays are inevitable.
“The closure has also resulted in an increased use of Abercynon Road (known as Grovers) which is not suitable for large volumes of traffic.
“We urge caution on this route, and ask motorists to avoid the location if at all possible due to increased traffic flows.
“The council is also asking residents to consider using public transport if possible to help alleviate disruption – with 12 trains and 60 buses operating in Pontypridd each hour.”
Meanwhile, cycling star Geraint Thomas and rock legend Brian May have donated items to the Valleys Aid flood fundraising show, as more names are added to the line-up.
Former Tour de France champion Thomas has donated a signed pair of his cycling shoes, while legendary
JORGE SET TO BRING STRONG WINDS FOR WEEKEND
STORM Jorge is set to hit Wales with winds as high as 70mph this weekend.
Beginning tomorrow, an area of low pressure, named Jorge by the Spanish Meteorological Service, is to move across the UK.
Packing strong winds, the system has prompted the Met Office to issue a yellow weather warning beginning at noon and lasting until noon on Sunday.
The Met Office forecast says: “Strong winds will move into south-western parts of the UK by Saturday afternoon, and steadily move north-east through the course of Saturday evening and overnight into Sunday morning.”
Queen guitarist May has donated a signed guitar.
Their donations comes as two more Welsh stars, The Alarm’s Mike Peters and Amen Corner frontman Andy Fairweather Low, have been added to the show at The Pop Factory in Porth on Saturday, March 14.
They will appear alongside the previously announced James Dean Bradfield and Amy Wadge at the charity gig put together by Emyr Afan, CEO of media and events company
Widespread gusts of 50-60mph are forecast, especially in areas experiencing heavy showers on Saturday afternoon.
“More isolated gusts of 65-70mph, particularly on coasts and other exposed areas, are probable.”
Jorge will cause impacts across all of Wales and is likely to cause delays to road, air, rail and ferry transport.
Delays for high-sided vehicles on exposed routes and bridges are likely.
Some coastal routes, and seafronts are also likely to be affected by spray and large waves, the warning says.
Named by the Spanish Meteorological Service before reaching the UK, the storm will be Avanti.
Peters said: “The minute Em called I had seen the pictures on the TV and said without hesitation I’ll be there. I had the same experience 30 years ago around the Towyn floods whilst touring in Scandinavia and we rushed back home to raise funds the only way we know we can. Coming home to the iconic Pop Factory will give an added edge of excitement as we always loved playing there back in the day.”
An auction will be held between the acts that includes many prized items.
These include a limited edition framed lyric sheet of A New South Wales by Mike Peters, the guitar which James Dean Bradfield will use during his Valley Aid set with on body artwork by Manics’ bandmate Nicky Wire and Phil Campbell from Motorhead’s signed guitar.
To close the event a specially assembled live band will take to the stage to bring the event to a close.
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■ known as Jorge – pronounced Hor-hay – in the UK.
It will not take the name Ellen, which is next in the UK’s 2019-20 list of storm names.
A spokeswoman for the Met Office said: “There are a number of storm naming groups within Europe that name low pressure systems that have the potential to bring severe weather.
“In this instance the Spanish met service named the low pressure, therefore all other national met services then use that name.
“The system will not be named Ellen, but we will align with our European partners and refer to it as Jorge.”
A RESIDENT of a storm-hit village believes flood defences could have been responsible for the scale of the deluge.
First Minister Mark Drakeford visited the village of Llanfairtalhaiarn in Conwy yesterday to see the devastation wrought by Storm Ciara for himself.
Conwy county councillor Ifor Lloyd had requested the appearance after saying his village was “drowning” because of inadequate flood defences.
They failed at Nant Barog above the village and overwhelmed a culvert, sending water and debris cascading down the main street.
There was an estimated 75 tones of debris blocking Nant Barog and the force of the water overwhelmed defences.
Dramatic footage captured a caravan floating down the River Elwy and torrents of flood water crashing through the village.
Farmers removed the debris and flood waters subsided almost immediately, said Cllr Lloyd.
Barbara Lund’s house was hit by the floods for a second time. She showed Mr Drakeford the effects of the deluge on a tour of her house.
She said systemic issues had been a problem, with flood warnings not issued until an hour after her and husband David were washed out of their home.
Speaking in her front room, which was still coated with silt, she said: “I think the First Minister fully understood the breadth of the problems. People in the village would want to know why it happened.
“Why were there 75 tons of debris to come down to Nant Barog? In the aftermath of Storm Dennis the water was coming around the back of the village as well.
“That was when the new flood works were working but we were completely surrounded by water again. So why are we having water and flooding coming from a different direction we have never had before?
“Then we have to think what has fundamentally changed has been the flood works.”
Representatives from Natural Resources Wales (NRW) also went to LlanfairTH with the First Minister to talk him through what happened and what they intend to do to put it right.
NRW were due to install the second phase of three flood defence measures this month when Storm Ciara hit nearly three weeks ago.
Walking around the village the First Minister looked visibly moved by the plight of the villagers and attended private meetings, away from the cameras, at the request of some of them.
Mr Drakeford said he and officials would now stop to think about what the right plan of action is for the village.
He said preparations made over the past 10 years meant 73,000 homes that would have been flooded weren’t, but conceded the flood strategy for LlanfairTH needs to be looked at afresh.
He added: “We have been talking this morning about the plans that NRW have for flood defences in this village. The first phase had already been completed.
“The second phase was due to begin this month. What we have agreed this morning is that there will need to be a pause in that.
“We will need to review the second phase of the plan to see whether it will be sufficient to protect this village from the sort of torrential rain that happened here two weeks ago.
“We have to make sure that work is calibrated against the more frequent and more intense weather events that we know climate change is bringing to Wales.”
Cllr Lloyd said he was “heartened” by the First Minister’s visit.
He added: “We just need to see what action it brings now.”