A29 remains closed: Works begin to install 'temporary ramp' amid major flooding incident

West Sussex Highways confirmed that Shripney Road remains closed to all non-residents and non-local business owners. The road has been closed since Monday, February 2.

An update at 9am on Monday, February 9 read: “Following an inspection carried out this morning, Shripney Road will remain closed due to the current water level. In addition, a Met Office yellow weather warning is in place today, which may result in further heavy rainfall and could lead to increased water levels on the carriageway.

“Our contractors have begun work to erect a temporary ramp over the flooding at Sack Lane. This will enable vehicle access for all residents. The works are currently expected to be completed by the end of Tuesday (February 10).

“We will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide further updates as necessary. Thank you for your patience and understanding.”

West Sussex Highways reported on Friday that ‘significant rainfall overnight’ caused ‘further issues’ and the road became ‘impassable via Sack Lane’.

Resident access is being enabled north of Sack Lane, via A29 Woodgate. People south of Sack Lane will be able to enter and exit via the Saltbox roundabout.

The county council department added: “We will provide further updates on Monday. Please note, ignoring or moving authorised road closures is illegal as these are in place to protect the public and workers.”

The ongoing flooding reflects long-standing issues in the area, according to county and district councillor Keir Greenway, a lifetime resident of Bersted. Following widespread flooding in October and November 2023, a formal Section 19 flood investigation examined why Shripney is particularly vulnerable.

“Shripney sits in a low-lying catchment, with water naturally draining through the Shripney Manor Ditch into the slow-flowing Aldingbourne Rife,” Cllr Greenway said. “The village also relies heavily on roadside drainage (ditches, pipes and gullies) to move water away during heavy rain."

He said the 2023 flooding was caused by several overlapping factors rather than a single failure.

“Exceptional rainfall from multiple storms fell on already saturated ground, groundwater levels were already high, and the Shripney Manor Ditch exceeded its capacity and came out of bank,” he said.

“When the ditch is full, highway drains can’t discharge properly, so water backs up and surcharges onto the road. At the same time, the foul sewer system was overwhelmed and discharging from manholes, and some highway gullies were partially blocked by silt and tree root intrusion.”

Cllr Greenway warned that climate change is increasing the likelihood of similar events in the future.

He added: “Climate change is increasing the likelihood of intense rainfall on saturated catchments, which puts villages like Shripney at ongoing risk.

The Arun district councillor for Bersted said the flooding in 2023 affected areas both inside and outside mapped flood zones.

“That shows the risk is broader than official flood maps suggest,” he said, noting that flooding in Shripney can come from several sources at once, including surface water, overflowing ditches, blocked drainage, high groundwater and sewer surcharge.

“When all of these overlap, flooding becomes more severe and much harder to prevent.”

The report concluded that while flooding cannot be entirely prevented, a number of ‘practical, achievable actions’ could reduce the impact of future events if implemented together. Further investigation has been recommended to better understand longer-term influences on flooding and to reduce future risk.