The Alderley Edge Bypass is closed this morning because of flooding.
The road is closed between the Harden Park Roundabout junction and the Monks Heath Crossroads junction.
The water is reported as being between two and three feet deep in places.
As can be seen in the photo, taken from Welsh Row bridge at 7am this morning (thanks Simon), two cars were stranded due to the flood.
This is the second time the Alderley Edge bypass, built at a cost of £52m, has been closed due to flooding since it opened in November 2010.
In February 2011 the bypass was closed for several hours when flooding occurred due to the failure of part of the pumping equipment at Welsh Row.
The three mile route includes 20km of drainage and two pumping stations. One has been installed at Brook Lane, to remove surface water from the carriageway, and another pumping station has been built at Welsh Row, which has a 12 metre diameter and is 14 metres deep. Both are completely buried below ground.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
In February 2011 the bypass was closed for several hours when flooding occurred due to the failure of part of the pumping equipment at Welsh Row.
I understand people have discussed holding an annual fun run down the bypass much like the one we had just before it opened, but seem as it shuts annually now for rain, why dont we have a swimathon?
Perhaps some of the elected local officials that have had some compo for living nearby to the bypass may like to give back some of OUR money to help and fix this problem once and for all?
The alternative was to build a huge bridge through Nether Alderley over the railway line and Welsh Row - it would have been 9 metres above existing ground level and would have attracted significant opposition from the local residents to the Bypass.
On balance it seems to me that the occasional inconvenience of a bit of flooding - something that has gone on for years where the Wilmslow bypass goes under the railway line just to the north of the Hardern Park roundabout - is worth tolerating in order to have the Bypass in place.
No doubt the design team are looking to see why it flooded and working to fix it so it does not repeatedly happen. In the meantime - enjoy the peace and tranquility of London Road for 363 days each year.