FRUSTRATED residents and business owners were subjected to further flooding misery when “knee-deep” water spilled through a notoriously wet road.

Work is underway to combat repeated flooding in the Hythe, around Haven Road and Distillery Lane, which has remained an issue for more than a decade.

The Distillery pond regularly bursts its banks, while a high tide in the River Colne will often cause floods in Haven Road.

But it cannot come soon enough.

The latest case of flooding was captured on camera by Hector Preston, 29, who regularly uses the road.

Mr Preston, of Fingringhoe Road, Colchester, said: “The photographs I took don’t even show the worst of it, it was much, much worse about an hour before. It just happens all the time.

“Cars were having to drive in the middle of the road to avoid getting stuck - if the water splashes up into the engine it could do some damage.

“Some people were turning around and going another way. I would say once every couple of weeks it is flooding.”

Other witnesses reported cars breaking down in the middle of “knee-deep” puddles of water.

Lee Scordis (Lab), county councillor for the area, said remedial works could not come soon enough.

He said: “The work is supposed to be done at the end of the month.

“I drove through it myself and it was knee-deep.

“There were definitely cars having to turn around although I didn’t see anyone stuck. It has been an issue in Colchester for between ten and 20 years.

“It is mad. It has made a lot of people blame infrastructure but really it is the neglect of it and the lack of drains.

“There was flooding there before the flats arrived. It has always been a problem.”

A total of £272,000 is being spent on the problem with £190,000 from Essex County Council, £26,000 from the Environment Agency and £52,000 from Colchester Council.

Plans include:

  • Raising the walled flood barrier at Distillery Pond by 30cm, n Clearing and modernising the mesh weed screens.
  • Relining the water tunnel leading to Haven Road which is blocked with weeds.
  • Replacing a 150 metre section of the same tunnel to remove 90-degree bends which result in large volumes of rain water going on to the road surfaces.
  •  Adding nine new manholes along the entire length of the tunnel.

An Essex County Council spokesman said: “Separate work is going on at Haven Road, Distillery Lane, waterside area to reduce surface flooding to residential and commercial properties.

“Work has started on the scheme and scheduled for completion in early May.

“All highway drains are clear and working properly.”