Pumping station re-emerges as A421 flooding recedes

A roadside pumping station has finally reappeared as work to reduce floodwater on a major road continues.

The A421 in Bedfordshire has been closed in both directions between the A6 at Bedford and junction 13 of the M1 - Brogborough/Marston Moretaine - since 22 September.

The area was severely flooded after persistent, torrential rain.

Tankers and pumping equipment have been brought in to remove the water - and one of the three cars overwhelmed by the flooding has now been recovered.

At its peak, National Highways said the carriageway was sitting under about 60 million litres of water.

According to the leader of Central Bedfordshire Council, the re-opening of the flooded A421 could still be weeks away.

Independent Adam Zerny, who met with National Highways on Wednesday, said: "We could be looking at a couple of weeks at the very least just to remove the water."

He said there was likely to be damage to the road surface and National Highways was not committing to a timescale on repairing it.

The Deputy Mayor of Bedford, Conservative councillor Jim Weir, said the A421 was built because the old A421 was "one of the biggest bottlenecks in the country".

He said traffic was now back on the old road and "we are back to a bottleneck situation".