Ditch Perfect: Summer work to prevent floods

Mentmore Road and Cedars Way should stay drier for longer after major works on a ditch at Cedars Upper School were completed. 

“Frankly you couldn’t really tell it was meant to be a ditch before the digger moved in” said Alex Mayer MP. But now several tonnes of earth have been moved by the Internal Drainage Board, ready for any heavy downpours. 

It is hoped that the around £10,000 investment will help protect properties around Cedars Way and Mentmore Road. Earlier this year, floodwater spilled near Mentmore Road’s zebra crossing, crept up residents’ driveways in Cedar Way and swamped the school car park, forcing students to head home early.

The work follows months of pressing from local MP Alex Mayer and Cllr Victoria Harvey. This led to Anglian Water, the IDB and others identifying the clogged-up ditch as one factor causing water to back up.

Welcoming the move, Ms Mayer said: “Climate change means more extreme weather. I’m hopeful this preventative work will help protect properties and the school playing field. Thank you to the IDB and Anglian Water for listening to our concerns and making this happen. This comes on top of the positive developments in sewage storage. I’ll keep pushing for further solutions - including upstream natural flood management - to further protect residents in Leighton Buzzard, Linslade and the surrounding areas.”

Cllr Victoria Harvey added: “Thanks to the brilliant proactive approach of the Internal Drainage Board, this ditch will significantly reduce the terrible flooding in Cedars Way beside Mentmore Road affecting residents and school children. I have spent over two years of working behind the scenes with Anglian, Central Bedfordshire Council’s flood team, the Environment Agency, the IDB, Chiltern Learning Trust and great local “Friends of Clipstone Brook” volunteers, backed by constant pressure by our MP. 

“At time of very limited public funds this fantastic partnership, working through the Ouzel Valley Steering Group, is the way to make things happen.”

Scientists say many extreme weather events like intense downpours, heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense as a result of climate change.