Storms and floods set to continue in Bradford (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Storms and floods set to continue in Bradford

7:00am Tuesday 25th September 2012 in News By Kathie Griffiths, T&A Reporter

Flooding on the roads around Bradford

Heavy rain caused flooding and travel disruption across the Bradford district yesterday, with the downpours forecast to con

Drivers were being warned to travel with care and expect problems this morning as the deluge meant many roads had become flooded by last night.

The worst-affected routes included the A58 Whitehall Road in Drighlington , where road surface water made driving conditions hazardous. There were similar problems in Low Lane, Clayton , Bradford, which was described as only passable with care.

In Blackhill Road leading out of Keighley up to the tarn, water was spouting from drains.

The Environment Agency issued flood alerts for the River Aire, between Gargrave and Stockbridge, Keighley, including Eshton Beck, Eller Beck and Silsden Beck; the River Worth, including Bridgehouse Beck and North Beck between Oxenhope and Keighley, the River Calder in Brighouse and the River Wharfe near Poole.

And an alert was issued for the River Spen, including Blacup Beck, Lands Beck and Canker Dyke in Cleckheaton and Liversedge , and Batley Beck between Birstall and Dewsbury. Rail disruptions between Shipley and Ilkley yesterday that were earlier blamed on the weather turned out to have been caused by problems with overhead lines due to vandals. The only potential spot for flooding on the tracks was near Calverley , between Leeds and Horsforth , but problems were avoided although Northern Rail had made contingency plans and organised a fleet of buses just in case.

Meanwhile near Shipley Station, Bradford Beck rose furiously. By mid-afternoon it only had one foot to go before reaching the top of a wall that separates it from parked cars.

At the same location earlier this year, it burst its banks in heavy rain, causing vehicles to shunt into each other. Mark Bingham, 49, who runs MB Motors in Perseverance Street said: “I can’t believe people would have heard the forecast and still parked their cars there!”

At Keighley Golf Club players were carrying on unperturbed by the rain, defying the worst weather. Club professional Andrew Rhodes said: “The weather has been extreme but there’s always some hardy souls about.”