Over the years, the A684 at Morton on Swale, near Northallerton, has flooded significantly after the River Swale overtopped following torrential rain, snow and wind.
The Environment Agency has said that it is assessing whether ‘reactive work’ on the River Swale would reduce the impact of further flooding events.
Most recently, alongside Morton Flatts, the A-road flooded just after Christmas when four people and two dogs were rescued after rainfall hit the region.
Morton-on Swale flooding (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Concerns have consistently been raised about the measures that have been taken to reduce flooding and help vehicles from getting stuck in floodwater.
At the end of 2024, councillors discussed introducing digital signs to warn drivers of when floodwater was present on the A684 – but bigger questions about longer-term fixes and how to prevent larger flooding events in the future remain.
The most recent criticisms have come from Tim Chapman, who has farmed along the River Swale at Scruton, near Northallerton, for about 60 years.
Mr Chapman has cited big flooding events in the past, including in August 1987, Hurricane Charlie, which closed the road for three days, at which point, he said the Highways and Environment Agency built up the damaged river bank and installed storm pipes.
However, the farmer says that he has seen the flooding change.
Cars stuck in A684 Morton Flatts in January 2024 (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) He said: “The problem I now see is how the river flooding has changed in the past 25 years and not just the climate change effects of more sudden and extreme rain events but more importantly how and where the river overflows the banking.
“Twenty-five years ago the river overflowed its banking differently as it does today.
“Indeed back then it would overflow at the lowest part of our river banking and fill up a 1.5-hectare “reservoir” – once full, this would then overflow over a farm track and race up the roadside field to Morton Bridge.
“At the same time, the river would overspill to the north side of the bridge, over Morton Flatts farmland and onto the main A684 road, back into our field where the two converging water bodies would meet, creating ripple effects in the soil surface.
“This now never happens.
Flooding from the River Swale (Image: TIM CHAPMAN) “The flood water trapped in our field now overflows the river banking back into the river, when the opposite used to occur 25 years ago.”
Mr Chapman now believes that Morton on Swale Bridge is now acting as a dam, with the swollen river “not getting through the arches quickly enough”, creating an uneven flow of water.
He added: “The downstream flow from the bridge is now lower than it used to be whilst flood water is being directed around the front of the bridge on to Morton Flatts and the A684.
“So what is the cause of this bridge dam effect? Namely the lack of any Environment Agency (EA) maintenance.
“Two of the four arches are thick with silt and debris and severely limiting the flow of flood water through the bridge and acting as a dam.
“I have also seen numerous other effects of complete lack of any maintenance by the EA, overgrown trees broken down by floodwater which divert the river flow which then erodes tens of metres of river banking, contributing to further sediment build up.
“If we had some EA river dredging and severe tree pruning at Morton Bridge we could at least limit but not prevent major flooding and road closures.
“This would be a relatively easy, cheap, quick fix compared with raising the flood banks and/or the A684.”
In response, the Environment Agency has said that it is assessing whether work on the stretch of River Swale will ‘mitigate the risks’ of future flooding.
Recommended reading:
Get more content including the stories that matter to your community from The Northern Echo.
A spokesperson for the Agency said: “To manage flood risk to people and properties, the Environment Agency plans and manages a rolling programme of tree works maintaining a balance between wildlife habitat and good river flow on Main Rivers.
“The Morton-on-Swale section of the River Swale was last managed four years ago, and we are now assessing the need to do some reactive works following engagement with North Yorkshire Council Highways and repeated high rainfall events across the Swale catchment.
“This work would be focused around the Highways Bridge area and be subject to advice from and approval by our Fisheries, Biodiversity and Geomorphology Team.”