Oakley Green, Fifield and District Community Association Ltd
Environment
Drainage update 17 - 28.03.2014
Wet Spot 2 - The speed bump on Fifield Road. We are very pleased to be able to report that 5 years of effort to improve what we originally thought was the simplest task has at last borne fruit. The work has finally been done - Hooray ! - Photos

We have thanked Streetcare and we do realise the last few months have presented them with problems much greater than ours but even our comparatively simple "nuisance puddles" are nevertheless of considerable concern to residents.

At the recent open meeting residents raised the issue that spoil from the excavation along the southern stretch had not been removed and remains piled high on the verge. We asked that the excess spoil be removed from the verge and Streetcare have confirmed that this will be done.

While work was in progress it was noticeable that a culvert just north of Longlea has been delivering water from the large eastern ditch into the smaller western stretch. Streetcare said it had been assumed to flow in the opposite direction. The subsequent large volume of water in the smaller capacity western ditch causes a problem when it tries to pass into a pipe just north of Wayside Stables. This can surely be improved by not allowing the large flow of water from the much more capacious eastern ditch. We have requested that the culvert be disabled as the large ditch seems well able to handle whatever flow arrives at that point. Streetcare have confirmed that a temporary blockage will be installed so that the effects can be assessed.

Wet Spot 3 - Braywood Lodge on Oakley Green Road. In 2011 volunteers cleared the ditches and Streetcare jetted pipes under the roadside verge. This appeared to improve the situation and we thought we were safe to give a tick to this "wet spot". At the open meeting in February the resident informed us that there had again been a lot of surface water accumulating so we have had to return this "wet spot" to Amber status and will be watching carefully next time there is heavy rainfall to see if there is anything else that can be done.

Wet Spot 4 - Coningsby Lane continues to be problematic. In an attempt to quantify one proposal a formal request for a cost estimate was sent on March 6 to three local contractors. As yet no response has been received. In early April we will look for non-local contractors in a continued attempt to arrive at some sort of progress plan.

Wet Spot 7 extends from just south of the Fifield Inn to just south of Stewart Close. This is a low point in the route northward through the village and excess water has forced residents to barricade their properties and deploy pumps. The roadside ditch has not been maintained for a long time and is now barely visible, not at all helped by the occasional dumping of garden waste into it. However, even if this were improved it is not clear where excess water can be taken away to. It may be necessary to consider creating some sort of sump area on the field side of the hedge as this already becomes covered in a large amount of water. We requested a site meeting and on March 27 this was attended by Streetcare, the owner of the land opposite the houses, a local resident whose pumps have been deployed in the past, Borough Councillor David Coppinger, OGAFCA's chairman, and OGAFCA Environment's drainage volunteer. Drainage in this area is extremely confusing and Streetcare have undertaken to investigate further to clarify what is in place before we discuss what improvements can be made. Indeed, barely an hour after the meeting ended a Streetcare team were clearing and jetting the drains and gullies along this stretch.

Wet Spot 9 - In early January we were asked to observe the situation at the Hand Clinic where water was rushing from under the Dedworth Road. This area suffers dreadfully and buildings had water in their ground floors. We realise that this is the most difficult of the problem sites for which to find a route to improvement but it needs to be taken very seriously if this area continues to be proposed for development by RBWM.

Photos of all these wet spots are available and are regularly updated Drainage Summary.

Finally, we are looking with some urgency for a volunteer to take on the Drainage task within the Environment Work Group. There is still much useful work to be done but after 5 years of effort new energy is needed to carry it forward. Please contact us as soon as possible.