Councillor calls for long-term solution to flood problems

Bruce Sinclair, Local democracy reporter

A petition call to the Welsh Government to find a long-term solution to a regularly flood-hit road has been submitted by a local councillor.

The Gumfreston area near Tenby is regularly hit with floods, and councillors have previously heard its existing warning system appeared to not like working when its wet, with St Florence and St Mary Out Liberty county councillor Rhys Jordan frequently raising the issue at full council meetings.

The petition, created by Cllr Jordan, entitled ‘Lead and fund a long-term flood mitigation solution for the B4318 and Tenby catchment,’ has attracted more than 500 signatures to date and runs up until January 31.

It says: “The B4318 floods repeatedly, cutting off a key access route to Tenby. Although the road is maintained by Pembrokeshire County Council, flooding is caused by surface water runoff, high River Ritec levels, and tidal locking at the South Beach outfall during high tides. These combined factors mean local highway measures alone cannot resolve the problem.

“Flooding on the B4318 is frequent and disruptive, affecting residents, businesses, emergency access, schools and the local economy. Local options have been pursued but are limited by factors beyond the council’s control, including river capacity, catchment drainage, and coastal discharge constraints. Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of rainfall and tide-related flooding, making the situation unsustainable.

“We are asking the Welsh Government to provide national leadership by coordinating relevant bodies such as Natural Resources Wales and Pembrokeshire County Council to assess the full catchment, including surface water, river, and tidal influences. A long-term, climate-resilient solution is required, supported by appropriate capital funding, to protect access to Tenby and reduce ongoing flood risk for the community.”

All petitions with more than 250 signatures will be discussed by the Petitions Committee after they have finished collecting signatures; any petition reaching 10,000 will be considered for a debate in the Senedd.

At the December meeting of Pembrokeshire county council, a submitted question calling for an improvement in communication of road closures caused by flooding in the area was heard, with members agreeing the question be submitted to a future meeting of the county council’s Cabinet for further consideration.

In his submitted question, Cllr Jordan had said: “The B4318 at Gumfreston is prone to persistent flooding during adverse weather conditions, leading to road closures that disrupt travel and pose safety risks for residents and motorists.

“Currently, closures are not effectively communicated to residents, causing inconvenience, delays, and potential hazards. An efficient alert system would provide timely information to residents, allowing them to plan alternative routes and ensuring safety.”

Last October, Cllr Jordan had asked at full council for an update on progress made toward improving the flood warning system in the Gumfreston area.

He had asked: “Can you give me an assurance that the flood warning system will actually work this autumn and winter?

“Only yesterday [October 16] the road was flooded and no warning signs were on; it seems to work when the road is not flooded, but they don’t like operating when its wet.”

He described it as “probably the most closed road in the county,” but one where there was the least communication on.

Members were previously given a ‘full commitment’ to improvements to the warning systems would be made.