Network resilience

 

 

Storms

Storms can be unpredictable and dangerous, but at Ringway, we are experienced in managing resources to keep road networks running safely.

We prioritise the safety of the public and our teams in the face of severe weather events. We rely on our relationship with the Met Office to stay informed of any incoming bad weather. As soon as a storm warning is issued, we engage with our clients, immediately reviewing our resourcing and developing an action plan.

Our strategy is based on the type of bad weather expected and the and our teams are briefed accordingly to prioritise their safety and wellbeing. Conditions are then continuously monitored to ensure that our teams are never put at risk during the event.

We handle enquiries based on a triage system, agreed upon with our clients, and if required, work on a shift basis to provide 24/7 resources. Regular updates are provided to internal and external stakeholders including notifications of any strategic road network impacts, such as major road closures due to flooding or fallen trees/debris.

After the weather event concludes, heatmaps and data are provided to our clients showing the extent of the damage. This data is then used to update officers and members of the public through a variety of communication channels.

 

Flooding

With the arrival of several storms over the last few months such as Elin, Fergus, Gerrit and Henk, some counties saw the worst flooding since 2007, with flood waters affecting large areas adjacent to the Rivers Severn, Avon and Teme.

In the event of a flood warning, our senior members of staff work closely with our clients, the Environment Agency and emergency services to minimise disruption and keep the public safe. This includes network resilience, keeping the highway network open as much as possible and which is safe to do so.

Instructions to proactively close roads when and where required will be given, set out flood warning signs and have sandbags at the ready. As a 24/7 service, our plan for dealing with floods will adapt as required and crews will respond reactively as the flooding event develops, closing further roads and delivering sandbags to locations that need them.

Gully crews for gully emptying, traffic and signal management as well as specialist arboricultural supply chain partners will provide assistance in dealing with fallen trees brought down by softened ground and storm force winds. Across the county we can easily place out over 600 warning signs and 1000+ sandbags during these times. Once flood waters start to recede a plan of action will commence, clearing silt deposits, cleansing gullies and re-opening roads once it is safe to do so.

 

With the current surgence of extreme flooding, proactive gully clearance of gully tops goes a long way in preventing additional flooding, as well as jetting through drainage pipes at known 'hot spots' for poor drainage to help improve water flow. Flood skips containing specific signs cones and barriers are pre-positioned within the county to assist with the efficient response to a storm and the flooding it will bring.

 

In 2021, a Network Resilience Team was created to identify areas on the network that could be managed more proactively when the county is in a severe weather event. The team consists of members of Worcestershire County Council, Ringway and EA staff, who are involved in the deployment of resource and clear up, while the county is in recovery. The team pays particular attention to areas that affect pedestrians and road users, this can include raising of levels of existing footway and carriageways, rapid deployment insitu drop down signs to assist road users with diversion routes and the prevention of field run off reaching the carriageway/footway, through the use of "leaking dams", new drainage schemes and non-return valves on gullies. They are also looking at rapid response clear up, to ensure the network is opened as quickly as posssible to keep the county moving.