‘The chance of flooding is rising’ more than 1,000 people have warned amid demands for authorities to clear a blocked watercourse.

As many as 1,329 people have signed a petition calling on the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Council (RBWM) to unblock the Wraysbury Drain.

This 200-year-old watercourse, running from near Wraysbury Train Station to the Thames in Hyde End, has been blocked for four years by debris, roots and gravel.

The petition says: “The chance of flooding is rising, and we urge the new council administration of Windsor and Maidenhead to demonstrate their commitment to the fair and effective planning, building, upkeep, and oversight of our current and future drainage systems, by firstly unblocking the Wraysbury Drain at Hythe End to protect the residents of Wraysbury.”

READ MORE: Wraysbury, Datchet and Old Windsor left out of River Thames Scheme

Part of the watercourse runs through privately owned land – meaning the landowners are responsible for keeping it clear.

A report on the petition – which is to be debated by councillors on Wednesday, July 17 – says the council is working with landowners to unblock the drain.

The report also says the council has enforcement powers it can use to demand that landowners clear the watercourse. It says: “The council has opened communications with one landowner in Hythe End to request that the culvert running through their site is cleared of obstructions.

“Following a visit, the landowner is designing a solution to restore the flow of water through their site. Communications remain open as this work is developed.”

The report adds that the council will consider its ‘next steps’ once this has been done. “The council will consider next steps for the Wraysbury Drain following the clearance of this section of watercourse once it is clear how the watercourse reacts to this clearance work and the flooding team will continue this work from this point.”

The petition, launched by councillor Ewan Larcombe comes after Wraysbury suffered flooding in January this year. It says Wraysbury, Datchet and Horton ‘are at severe risk of flooding'.

Councillor Larcombe of the National Flood Prevention Party, is also asking the council to write to the new government to ask for it to consider funding ‘Channel One’ of the River Thames flood prevention scheme.

The scheme aims at building new channels of the river Thames to prevent overflowing. But the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead pulled out of the scheme in 2020 after the government asked it to contribute £53 million to the project.

The council wrote to the previous Conservative government in March this year asking it to fund the scheme. Councillor Larkham has proposed that it resends the letter to the new Labour government.

Councillors were set to debate his proposal at the same meeting on Thursday, July 17.