About Welney Wash flood plain
About the A1101 and flooding
The A1101 is an A class road. It is a strategically important road in our region. The road links Littleport to Wisbech and the villages in between. These include Welney, Upwell and Outwell.
The road runs through the middle of the Ouse Washes Flood Storage Reservoir. The reservoir is part of a flood defence system that protects more than 10,000 homes and businesses. Although the reservoir protects home and businesses, it makes the A1011 prone to flooding when it fills with excess water.
This make the A1011 impassable to all traffic and the road must close. Surrounding communities must take a long diversion around the Ouse Washes.
Motorists have regularly ended up stranded on the A1101 because they have not followed the diversion signs. Flooding has been a long-standing issue over the decades. As far back as 1959 there was a proposal to raise the road, but the cost was too prohibitive.
Innovation project
In 2024, a project started to install innovative new signs in and around Welney Wash. Read about Work starts on installing new innovative signs for Welney Wash.
The new digital signs warn highway users when Welney Wash is closed. They are linked to sensors and river level data published by the Environment Agency.
Welney Causeway Feasibility Study
Norfolk County Council completed an updated feasibility study for the Welney Causeway (A1101) in January 2022, building on earlier work done in 2016. The study reviewed options to reduce the frequency and duration of flooding that leads to regular road closures.
The options assessed ranged from raising the existing causeway by different amounts (0.5m, 1m and 1.6m), to constructing offline solutions such as a bypass, raised embankments, or a viaduct. Each option was evaluated for its potential to reduce road closure times, alongside environmental considerations and economic performance.
At the time, the estimated costs for the shortlisted options varied widely — from around £4.9m for the smallest on line raise to more than £50m for a viaduct. These figures were based on the prices of quarter two 2021 prices. These cost estimates were intended purely for comparison between options at the feasibility stage.
It is important to note that these cost estimates are now out of date and would require significant revision to reflect current construction prices, inflation, design work, environmental requirements and updated modelling. They should not be interpreted as current scheme costs. Any options taken forward would also require updated modelling, full environmental assessment work, and fully refreshed cost estimates.
You might also be interested in
- History and background of the Welney Washes
- Ouse Washes Section 10 Works information page on the Environment Agency website
- Check the River Great Ouse level at Welney Causeway on GOV.UK
- Local updates from the Welney Flood Watch group on Facebook
