A Woodville road which constantly floods when it rains has finally been fixed.

For decades Occupation Lane has suffered during heavy flooding following torrential rainfall but now, after a £55,000 project the problem has been solved.

Some motorists usually avoided the road but others gave it a go

Malcolm Gee, chairman of Woodville Parish Council, who has campaigned to see improvements made on the road, said he was pleased with the outcome and was hoping to hear positive responses from residents and motorists who use the road.

He said: “I am elated and pleased to hear and welcome positive response from many people that not only drive along Occupation Lane but the amount of pupils and parents walking to and from school.

“The flood at Occupation Lane is no longer a problem. Derbyshire and Leicestershire county councils, working together, have rectified the problem. I believe a landowner near the area completed some work also.”

The problem lane is on the county border between Leicestershire and Derbyshire, leading to confusion as to which authority is responsible for maintaining and improving drainage there.

The flooding had been caused by a dip in the road

There is a dip in Occupation Lane means flood watch sits on the lane. There have also been issues with drains unable to cope with heavy rainfall. It has seen up to 2ft of sitting water in the dip at its worst.

This problem has often led to the road becoming impassable, with one enterprising young boy even offering boat trips across the flood in his rubber dinghy it wads so deep.

But now work to improvement the drain has been completed. It started late last year after a partnership between the two local authorities, a neighbouring landowner, and £55,000 for the project. The bill was footed by Derbyshire County Council.

Up until the drainage work, the busy road usually had to close after a period of heavy rain, causing issues for motorists and pedestrians. The road links Woodville with Albert Village and Church Gresley. The last closure occurred in March, despite preliminary work already being completed.

The road was closed for two weeks last December as Leicestershire County Council carried out separate preliminary work to prevent silt and rain water running off land next to the road into the road gully.

The lane had been subjected to flooding for decades

The second phase of work was completed by Derbyshire County Council in May.

One section of a former railway bridge over the road has also been dismantled to make way for a new access to a development there.

A Derbyshire County Council spokesman said previously said it had been working in partnership with the adjacent landowner, and had been able to lay a new 90-metre pipe through the land, from the road to the watercourse to help stop issues there.

A long saga

Drivers in the Woodville area have up until now known to avoid Occupation Lane at all costs if it had rained because they knew they would struggle to get through. Water would regularly lap the doors of vehicles brave - or foolhardy enough to attempt to drive through the floods.

Many cars have got stuck in the deep water too, ending up having to be towed out. The flood water has cost thousands in repair bills to cars over the years.

A few years ago James Stephenson took advantage of the continued closure of Occupation Lane due to its flooding issue, by blowing up his rubber dinghy to offer ferry rides for 20p a time.

James Stephenson in Occupation Lane Woodville offered ferry rides

This picture was taken after the road was closed for a week, causing disruption for motorists as well as children trying to use the lane to get to school.
It seems like young James set up a lucrative business offering ferry rides for unsuspecting motorists and pedestrians.