Plymouth's Gdynia Way closed again after sewer overflows

HOPES of relief for commuters were dashed as floods again closed one of the main routes into Plymouth.

Last week Gdynia Way was closed by flooding for more than seven hours on Wednesday, and again on Thursday.

The problem was blamed on South West Water sewers overflowing.

On Saturday South West Water engineers, using CCTV cameras, found what they believe caused the blockage.

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A lump of mortar and rubble almost the size of a kitchen sink was found in a sewer near Barbican Approach, close to the Vue cinema at the Barbican Leisure Park.

But only hours later the road was flooded and closed again.

A Plymouth City Council spokeswoman said yesterday: "Gdynia Way was closed to inbound traffic from roughly 7.30pm.

"It was closed to all traffic at around 9pm or 9.30pm and it re-opened at around 11.30pm.

"All of the flooding on Gdynia Way has been caused by an overflowing South West Water sewer."

Gdynia Way was part of the £19million East End transport project. Commuters and local traders faced 18 months of chaos and disruption as was widened and improved.

On Saturday South West Water displayed pictures of an obstacle almost as big as a kitchen sink found in a sewer under Barbican Approach.

An engineer had to climb into a manhole about 60cm across to tie a rope around the lump of mortar and rubble so that it could be pulled free.

A spokeswoman for the water company said the blockage was in a 75cm diameter sewer.

"It could not have come from Gdynia Way because the sewers there are only 25cm diameter," she said. "It must have originated in the leisure park.

"But we are not resting on our laurels. We're keeping a close eye on the sewers.

"Fingers crossed, that was the culprit.

"There is no way of knowing for certain how the concrete came to be in the sewer or how long it has been there," the spokeswoman said.