Splashing about in Hinxton Ford

residents from both Duxford and Hinxton met at the ford between the two villages this afternoon. We discussed why the gates to the road through the ford remain closed even though the last heavy rain was ten days ago, meaning that anyone trying to get to shops, schools etc has to go up to the A505 and along and down again.

Since the large gates were installed at the end of last year there have been times when one set of gates is closed, and the other open, so cars get across and then have to turn around and drive back, times when the water is running high but the gates are left open, as happened at the begiining of October leading to a car getting stuck, and times when the gates are shut for days and weeks, as happened over the summer when the county council people went away, and as is happening now.

The problem is twofold - at one time a local farmer who knew the river and the land used to open and close the road, and now the county makes the open/close decision, but it is days before someone with the tools to open the gates can come out. Secondly the Environment Agency and the County Highways teams don't really seem to work that closely together to monitor the water flow upstream and make decisions. The County need to find a way of making use of local knowledge and availability otherwise this little road will end up spending more time closed than open.