Flooding forces closure of Cambridgeshire road

Road closed signs went up at Sutton Gault Causeway in Cambridgeshire today after the road flooded.  

The Environment Agency warn that “river levels are rising at the Sutton Gault River gauge as a result of persistent rainfall”.  

Early today the causeway had approximately seven centimetres of water currently on the road.  

“Due to uneven surface of the roads, water may be deeper in places,” said an Environment Agency spokesperson. 

So far, the flood alert applies only to Sutton Gault but further rainfall is forecast over the next 12 hours.  

“We expect river levels to continue rising into tomorrow,” said the spokesperson. 

“We are closely monitoring the situation.” 

Drivers are being warned to find alternative routes and especially to “avoid low lying roads near rivers, which may be flooded and avoid using low lying footpaths near local watercourses”.  

The causeway floods when the Hundred Foot Washes flood their banks.  

The causeway is found by taking the Bury Lane out of Sutton. 

The road at Sutton is at the level of the washes so is flooded when they are.  

The footpath is raised so is passable most of the time. 

The last time it flooded, in January, five fire appliances and three police units were deployed on Friday night to rescue a stranded driver.   

The car had ignored warning signs and decided to try and cross Sutton Gault Causeway near Ely.   

The driver didn’t succeed and a major emergency rescue operation was launched.   

Police said at the time that “all those emergency vehicles and personnel were required for “what could have been a simple detour”. 

Welney is not currently flood and the road through the village remains passable. 

However, with the Environment Agency flood alert for the Ouse washes, it is possible Welney may be affected later after high rain fall. 

The water levels at Sutton Gault have risen over 1 metre since Christmas Day, said a post to the Welney Floods Facebook group.