Aegaea on ITV News: Tower Bridge Flooding Investigation

When surface water flooding affected Tower Bridge, ITV News London engaged Aegaea to investigate the causes and explain potential prevention measures. The company’s expertise in sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) and flood risk management proved valuable in identifying contributing factors.

Key Findings

Aegaea’s team identified four reasons for the carriageway flooding:

1. Intense rainfall: A heavy downpour following dry weather exceeded drainage system capacity. The Met Office suggests summer precipitation patterns may shift toward “heavier bursts” despite overall drier trends.

2. Physical barriers: Counter-terrorism barriers constructed over storm drainage created water collection channels on the bridge approach.

3. Maintenance issues: Drainage features in the barriers accumulated silt, blocking proper water flow to connecting road drainage systems.

4. Topography: The bridge gradient sloped northward, causing water to pond in a depression at the northern end.

Broader Context

Surface water flooding represents England’s most widespread flooding type, affecting approximately 3.2 million properties. The 2015 national planning policy strengthened SuDS requirements for major developments.

Despite policy improvements and technological advances in flood risk mapping, significant gaps remain. A 2018 government review revealed that 70% of planning applications including SuDS lacked clarity about maintenance responsibility. Approximately one-third of local planning authority officials were uncertain about SuDS adoption status.

Effective drainage infrastructure requires coordinated efforts among councils, highway authorities, water companies, and regulatory bodies.