Worries that new Welney Wash Road flood warning signs are not working as well as hoped

It was supposed to be a landmark scheme that would stop drivers getting stuck on Britain’s most flooded road.

But just two weeks after it was launched, it appears the £100,000 project on Welney Wash Road is not working as well as it was hoped.

Norfolk County Council has installed the first two of eight flashing warning signs on the notorious highway, which runs for less than a mile and links Norfolk and Cambridgeshire across a low-lying stretch of the Fens, which frequently floods.

The signs are designed to provide real-time information of depth measurements which inform drivers whether it is safe to cross or not.

However, members of Welney Flood Watch (WFW) – a group that monitors the road and helps people caught out in the flooding – claim drivers cannot read the signs and that the LED lights are too bright.

Earlier this week, a Renault Clio got stuck after entering the high flood water and had to be towed to safety by the group.

Welney Wash Road is known as the most flooded in the country, after setting a record for 89 days underwater last year - and it continues to face frequent flooding this winter.

It serves as a causeway in the flood-prone Ouse washes, but when it is shut, drivers face a lengthy 22-mile diversion.

The concerns about the signs have been raised with the county council, which sent engineers to visit the signs and make alterations designed to make them more visible at night.

A spokeswoman has said the first two signs were “testing sites” before the remaining six were rolled out.

While the depth measurements were tricky to see for drivers, the main ‘road closed’ sign is “extremely visible,” she said.

The spokeswoman added: “We’re really pleased with the core message and brightness of the sign which would be very hard for any driver to miss the message that the A1101 is closed.

“We want this project to be as successful as it can be and have been working closely with the Welney Floodwatch Group and our contractors to make some adjustments to make the water depth information clearer.

“As we make this transition to a full set of eight new signs in the area it’s timely to remind all drivers that they ultimately need to be heeding to all warning signs that are on the highway which are in place for their safety.”