Work on emergency pipeline completed

The new pipeline, which goes under the railway line between the two towns, allows Yorkshire Water to deploy their emergency pumps during flood events. Previously pumping had to stop whenever a train went past as the pipe from the pumps needed to be placed across the train track to get to the river. The pipe from the pump will now continuously run during flood events.

Yorkshire Water worked with Network Rail to deliver this pipeline in partnership with North Yorkshire County Council, Ryedale District Council and the Environment Agency.

Eve Pierrepont, flood risk engineer for Yorkshire Water, said: “This is just a small part of the work we’re doing to reduce flood risk in Malton and Norton. As well as having our emergency pump plan, we’ve gifted the district council with a pump they can deploy themselves and we’re creating a model of the catchment in the area so we can understand how water flows through our sewers to better understand the flooding issues in the area.”

Rob McIntosh, route managing director at Network Rail, said: “Flooding can have a devastating impact on both communities and the railway and I’m pleased that we’ve been able to work alongside Yorkshire Water to get a drainage pipe buried beneath the track to help alleviate the risk of flooding in the future.”

Long-standing flood campaigner and Ryedale district and town councillor for Norton West, Di Keal said: “This is very welcome news and one more piece in the jigsaw of flood protection that we need to alleviate flooding.

“The installation of this under-track pipeline is great news as it will help residents and businesses in Norton cope better when the community is faced with flooding as it should reduce the need for prolonged road closures. Ultimately, we need increased permanent pumping capacity in Norton, but this development, along with the extra emergency pumps that the town councils hope to provide, should make a big difference to how we are able to manage flood events in the future.”