RESIDENTS of a New Forest road that was blocked by flooding last week have also had to put up with weeks of endless HGV movements.

Apart from a brief respite, when Ashurst Bridge Road was under water for 24 hours thanks to heavy rain overnight, tankers have been using the road day and night.

Residents say this is down to major problems at the Ashurst Bridge Wastewater Pumping Station and claim the inadequate infrastructure means sewage is spilling into neighbouring Bartley Water.

But Southern Water say the disruption is down to a burst pipe elsewhere in the Forest and increased rainfall recently has also put extra pressure on the sewer network. They will liaise with the Environment Agency over 'spill data'.

READ MORE: Ashurst Bridge Road impassable as river bursts its banks

George Manning, who has lived in Ashurst Bridge Road for 34 years, told the Daily Echo: "Sewage tankers have been in our road day and night for more than five weeks. This happens several times a year and has for the past ten years or so.

"The infrastructure is not there to cope with all the development which has taken place in recent years.

"Their pumps break down and it causes pollution. It's a regular occurrence. I believe this pumping station is completely inadequate, but they don't seem to care. It's a big problem.

"I just want kids to be able to go and play at the beach safely without encountering sewage."

Daily Echo:

A Southern Water spokesperson responded: "We’re sorry for any disruption this has caused. This was due to emergency repairs to a burst pipe at Pollard Moor which is being tankered and dropped into Ashurst Bridge.

"With regards to the spills, increased rainfall can put extra pressure on our sewer network when large volumes of surface water enters the system. In Hampshire, we have already seen 119.2mm of rain in January to date, which is 26 per cent more than average for the whole month. We are currently reviewing the spill data internally and will liaise with the EA."

The road is now a dead end for traffic, but is used regularly by Foxhills and Hounsdown School pupils and joggers, cyclists and dog walkers accessing the Forest via a road bridge over the railway track.

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