Clementhorpe cycle path reopens after a year of flood defence work

A POPULAR riverside cycle path in York which closed a year ago to allow flood defence work to be carried out has finally reopened.

Terry Avenue cycle path, in Clementhorpe, York, reopened on Friday, July 8, giving back residents a much-used short cut into the city centre.

The reopening followed the completion of the Clementhorpe flood gate - part of the £45 million York Flood Alleviation Scheme.

The construction of the £7.7 million gate aims to better protect 135 homes in the area, following the devastation of the 2015 and 2000 floods.

Micklegate Cllr Crawshaw, EA's Ian Boddice, Cllr Kilbane and River street resident Danny Rust Picture: Emily Horner

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Cllr Jonny Crawshaw, of Micklegate Ward, said: “Terry Avenue had to be closed for the work, which meant all the traffic and delivery vans were redirected down Butcher Terrace, and residents no longer had their easy access into town.

“It was frustrating not being able to get the funding till six or seven years after the 2015 flood, and all the technology and design meant it was a complicated task, but in the end, it took six months less time than planned to be completed."

Clementhorpe flood gate when closed Picture: Emily Horner

Cllr Crawshaw said the new flood gate was higher than the highest predicted flood for the next 100 years.

He added: “Residents were getting nervous whenever it rained heavily. Imagine how anxious they felt, at the thought of having to evacuate their home due to a flood?”

One resident who was pleased to see the work completed was Danny Rust, who has lived on River Street since 2017.

He said: “I’m grateful to all the funders, designers, and builders of this flood defence.

“I attended all the planning meetings arguing for the work to be done and it was passed unanimously.

“Some people at the meetings objected the closure of Terry Avenue as it closed off access, but not at one point could anyone tell me that this wasn’t necessary.

 “As a cyclist, motorist and walker of Terry Avenue myself, I couldn’t see any other alternative.”

Waterfront House flood wall and folded gate Picture: Emily Horner

The Clementhorpe section of the scheme includes a six-metre-deep underground barrier under Terry Avenue, which limits the amount of flood water that can pass under the overground defences.

New flood walls have been placed in front of Waterfront House, Dukes Wharf and Lower Ebor Street. The road level at Dukes Wharf has been raised, as well as existing boundary walls in Postern Close.

Environment Agency's Mark Fuller and Ian Boddice who have worked on the Clementhorpe defences Picture: Emily Horner

Mark Fuller of the Environment Agency said: “The appearance of the flood defences had to fit in with the community. We listened to residents and we matched the bricks of the defences to the Waterfront wall to disguise that it’s a flood defence.

“We learned from our test that the amount of water that seeped through was so small that it evaporated faster than it leaked.

“The gate is wider than normal flood gates and are bi-folding with a latch on it. Someone from our team, who predict the flood forecasts, comes down to manually shut it ahead of time.”