In September last year there was a major flood in my area; it didnt’ quite reach our house but many people at the other end of the street had to leave their homes for a couple of months or more. We’re on a hill so it wasn’t a river bursting its banks unless you count the man-made water distribution network as a series of underground rivers! Apparently it was a repeat of an incident from a year or two before we moved in so Thames Water promised a comprehensive refit to minimise the chance of reaching the hat-trick.
After their planning, major work began in the summer and a consequence has been obstructions on the cycle path I use to work. However, it appears that they are coming to an end only just after the promised November conclusion. Two of the three areas of work have been cleared up and the one in the middle, which has been the focus of recent activity will hopefully wind down soon.
I wonder how long it will take the landscape to recover? The scarred tarmac, showing where new pipes were laid, will probably hold the memory for years to come. What about the grass I wonder? There are a few points where numerous cyclists have diverted over a small verge to temporary travel on the path and these have become very churned up. Time will tell; I expect the marks will remain stark all winter but we’ll see if spring softens them.