Information on flooding in Oxford

Updated Sunday 2 December 2012.

Officers from Oxford City Council have been working hard to support residents who are at risk from flooding.

Flood alerts and warnings

You can view the current flood warnings and alerts on the Environment Agency website.

Road closures

As of Sunday 2 December 2012:

Abingdon Road is now open in both directions.

Donnington Bridge Road and Weirs Lane are open as normal.

Binsey Lane is now open.

Ferry Hinksey Road is open.

Godstow Road is now open.

Seacourt Park and Ride has been partially re-opened but some spaces in the car park are still unavailable.

Botley Road is open.

Bus gate restrictions on the High Street were reintroduced from 9am on Saturday 1 December 2012. Please see the Oxfordshire County Council website for up-to-date information.

Redbridge recycling centre is open.

This situation may change further over the weekend.

For more information about road closures in Oxfordshire visit the Oxfordshire County Council website.

Advice for householders at risk of flooding

All property owners, particularly those who have property in the floodplain and close to watercourses, are urged to take action to protect property from flooding. More information is available on the Oxfordshire County Council website.

There is no need to leave your home due to the threat of flooding unless you are specifically advised to do so by the emergency services or council officers. However people should continue to be vigilant and consider their own safety.

Older and disabled people

If you are an older or disabled person who is worried about coping if your home floods, please call 08081 685 082. You can also use this number to report concerns about an older or disabled neighbour, or if you are a care service provider reporting a problem related to flooding.

Prevention work

Flood barriers are in place at Bullstake Close, Lake Street and Osney Island.

Officers from Direct Services deployed the six inch pump at Bullstake Close to pump water away from properties. A team of officers are continuing to work hard at Bullstake with numerous pumps on site to ensure that properties aren't flooded and that water is kept away from Botley Road.

We are working closely with the countywide emergency planning team.

Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre - Centre open but on standby for use as flood refuge

Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre is now open again to the public. Although the leisure centre is open it is on 1 hour standby for use as a flood refuge.

If you are planning to visit the centre we recommend you call in advance, 01865 467020 or visit our Leisure Centre pages for updates. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Schools

Should at any stage any school decide that a school closure is required, that school would update the local media and the county council would update its website. Parents should check local radio stations for information.

Dangers of flood water

Please drive carefully - two feet of water will float your car. Obey closure signs and drive very slowly through standing water. Get the latest roads and transport information from the Oxfordshire County Council website or BBC Radio Oxford.

Flood water can be very dangerous. Six inches of fast flowing water can knock you over and flooding can cause manhole covers to come off, leaving hidden dangers. Don’t walk through flood water and don't let children play in flood water.

Clearing up

For information about clearning up after a flood, please visit our Flood Clear-up page.

Sandbag disposal

Many residents will have received sandbags to help protect their properties from the recent floods.

Once the risk of flooding has past, it is the responsibility of the property owner or occupier to either retain the sandbags for future use, or to dispose of the used sandbags.

If the sandbags have not been soiled or damaged by floodwater they can be kept in a dry area for future use.

If you do not have space to keep the sandbags, the sand may be poured out and dug into the garden.

Residents are advised to wear gloves when handling sandbags and to wash their hands afterwards.

Oxford residents can take sandbags that have been in contact with floodwater to the landfill containers at Redbridge recycling facility.

We will also be organising a collection of sandbags from the Botley Road and Osney Island parts of the city on week commencing 3 December 2012 and from the Abingdon Road area the following week.

General information

The Environment Agency is monitoring water levels along a number of rivers and other water courses in the county.

For fully up to date information about Flood Alerts and Flood Warnings, as well as information about how to protect your home, please visit the Environment Agency website.

Released on Sunday 2 December 2012

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