Every year, tourists flock to the Yorkshire Dallas, with its spectacular landscapes, river valleys and highlands making it a popular destination and beautiful place to live.
However, locals are well aware that the Dales River may soon swell during heavy rains. Vehicles left on the road confirm the risk of driving in floodwaters.
To address the problem, a new £ 418,000 flood detection system has been installed on floodplains on the A684 – the first of its kind in North Yorkshire – funded by the Government Securities Fund.
A684 Key Road East to West Flood three times a year as the road between Wensledale and the Bridgebridge and Wensley averages close to the Ure River.
Before the new system is implemented, we hope that community members will be able to report any problems before we go to the venue and put a ‘roadblock’ sign in hand.
Local resident Jim Macroebert works at Carr Bilington Farm, a national park in the House. They range from farm machinery to clothing and pet supplies on a regular basis.
“The A684 can flood incredibly quickly, and drivers who do not know the roads will consider moving in any weather,” Jim said. “The new warning signs provide real-time information on when drivers should stop. This allows us as staff to reassemble delivery points when needed; Ensuring safety and saving time.
Jim is an official of Wensledale Rugby Club and has seen the consequences of heavy rain on game days for players and fans. He added: “The safety of everyone at the club and our fans is our top priority and we welcome anything that will improve our safe travels to and from the ground.
The seven signs are installed on SWARCO Traffic A684 at Bingbridge, Worton, Asigart, West Witten and Wensley at various locations.
Flood indicators in the river carry sensors, so when the water reaches a certain level, the signals indicate flood warnings. They can also be used to warn of snow, high winds or road closures.
Although the water level triggers the signals, they only light up when approaching a vehicle in order to minimize light pollution.
“Floods in Yorkshire Dels have long been a problem for local communities,” said Karin Sedgwick, a member of Central Dels Council. The transit route is so long that we see many people threatening to cross it, which is surprisingly dangerous and we often see vehicles stranded in floodwaters. These new signs show up-to-date information; It saves time and we hope to save lives.
“When North Yorkshire has bad weather, our highway teams are dealing with a lot of problems in the network, so it will take time to travel to load temporary signals,” said Yvon Peacock, a member of Upper Dell Council. I am happy to be able to deliver the plan through the Safe Roads Fund. This pioneering warning system will serve the community for generations to come.
As part of the Road Safety Fund, safety improvement projects are reaching the 68 7.06m A684 from Liming Bar to M6 Node 37. The fund seeks to address problems on the 50 most dangerous roads in the country.