River Severn flooding: Severe warnings for Bewdley and Ironbridge removed

Severe warnings, meaning danger to life, for people living in flood-hit River Severn areas, have been removed.

The warnings were issued for Ironbridge in Shropshire and Bewdley in Worcestershire on Monday.

A major incident was declared for those areas and defences at Beales Corner in Bewdley were breached on Tuesday, with dozens of properties evacuated.

Flooding continues to cause disruption elsewhere in Worcestershire.

Many routes around the city centre closed on Thursday morning, however, the majority of businesses have been open and the city's Light Night festival is set to take place later.

Water levels will stay high in Worcester in the short term but the peak has passed, the Environment Agency (EA) says.

Twenty seven flood warnings along the river remain on Thursday.

The Met Office said areas "experiencing flood impacts" could expect things to stay the same for the next two days.

It added while more rain was due, there would not be "huge amounts".

This is the fourth consecutive year Bewdley has flooded, with temporary flood defences breached during Storm Christoph in January 2021.

Plans for permanent flood defences at Beales Corner are under way, the EA says.

The main bridge over the Teme in Tenbury, Worcestershire, has been reopened following Wednesday's closure to allow for the removal of flood debris.

Ironbridge saw rescues and evacuations earlier this week as rain brought by recent storms saw the Severn rise in Shropshire too. A severe warning for the town was removed on Wednesday evening.

Like Bewdley, flooding in Ironbridge has become a regular occurrence, with one community leader calling it "the new normal".

The leaders of Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council have issued a joint statement asking the government for emergency funding to support the local flooding response.

Councillors Lezley Picton and Shaun Davies also called for urgent action to provide both short term and long term solutions to flooding problems.

"We need an urgent River Severn conference with government ministers and all interested partners and representatives of key stakeholders to put plans in place that will stop this annual cycle of misery for our residents and businesses," Mr Davies said.

Ms Picton added: "Flooding is becoming the new normal, so our residents and businesses need to be more protected and better prepared."

Elsewhere in the county, major routes into Shrewsbury have reopened, but the bus station remains shut because of an electrical fault although it will reopen on Friday, officials said.

Shropshire Council said for safety, temporary bus terminals would be used at Abbey Foregate, by Theatre Severn and New Park Road.

The theatre will provide an extended park-and-ride service for theatre ticketholders until 19:30 GMT and resume at 21:30.

Due to "the significant reduction in town centre parking", the authority asked people to use the park-and-ride system. Raven Meadows, St Julian's, Frankwell Main, and Frankwell Riverside car parks have been closed.

Trains between Shrewsbury and Newtown were cancelled, with a replacement bus service offered.

The line between Shrewsbury and Hereford is open following a landslip.

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