FCC Thameslink service back to normal after flooding

The Upper River Colne in London Colney flooded at the weekend (Image: Archant)

A spokesman for FCC said passengers had suffered delays of about 15 minutes after flooding near a tunnel at Elstree and Borehamwood.

However engineers have now cleared the floodwater, and services are returning to normal.

The flooding follows heavy rain throughout the area overnight.

And weather woes look set to continue for St Albans as further heavy rain has been forecast for the district, which is still recovering afer being hit by floodwater problems last weekend.

St Albans is preparing to batten down the hatches again as the Environment Agency (EA) warned there would be more rain across the south east for the rest of this week.

Communities have been urged to remain “vigilant” to the threat of river and groundwater flooding.

There has been widespread flooding across the district including rural and urban roads, Verulamium Park and in local villages.

Even the car park at Arsenal’s training grounds in London Colney looked like a lake at one stage after grounds staff had to move water from the pitch.

St Albans district councillor for London Colney Jacob Quagliozzi praised residents for banding together and helping each other when Upper River Colne burst its banks last Saturday.

He and other locals received a flood alert from the EA at 4am that morning.

Cllr Quagliozzi said: “The river level was the highest I’ve seen it for some time and probably the biggest worry was that water was spreading to people’s homes.”

But villagers helped one another, transporting sandbags to help stop rising water flooding homes and businesses, including The Green Dragon pub.

Cllr Malcolm MacMillan, chairman of London Colney parish council, said three fire engines and EA staff were at Waterside/Lowbell Lane, because of flooding concerns.

The water was just a few feet away from some locals’ front doors and there was an “anxiety-provoking couple of hours” wait to see if there would be more rain.

Both councillors commented on their astonishment at the speed at which the river rose.

Cllr MacMillan said: “It was a real horror story with people standing at the doors watching the water lap around them.”

Neighbouring Colney Heath also suffered from flooding, with the Upper River Colne spilling onto the common and into residents’ back yards.

But St Albans district council is prepared to launch into action should the rain pose similar problems over the course of this weekend.

Emergency planning officer Paul Blande said although there was concern about the effect of ongoing heavy rain, he emphasised that “we have a tried and tested flood plan”.

A number of council staff will be on an emergency rota over the weekend, so they can visit flood-hit areas and help communities “at a moment’s notice”.