Whaley Bridge dam: Cordons being lifted, evacuated people can go home

Cordons are being lifted from roads at Whaley Lane and police have said on Wednesday people are allowed to go their home, Derbyshire Police posted on its official Twitter account. About 1,500 residents were removed from their homes on Thursday after the dam at Toddbrook Reservoir was damaged after heavy rain. The Police said that over the past days a task force of hundreds has been working to pump water from the Toddbrook Reservoir and ensure the stability of the dam wall and this has been achieved at 1 pm local time on Wednesday.

Residents of #WhaleyBridge can return to their homes. https://t.co/JRuOLS6m5D pic.twitter.com/2prQx6lzeb

— Derbyshire Police (@DerbysPolice) August 7, 2019

Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Swann said: "The hard work and dedication to achieve this has been quite simply incredible and means that I am now able to lift the evacuation order placed on Whaley Bridge and the surrounding area. At the forefront of our thoughts are the communities affected by this incident who have been steadfast in the face of the peril that lay behind that dam wall."

"Over the coming days and weeks, further work will be completed to ascertain the damage caused to the dam wall and what actions are required for the future. We must not forget that the dam is broken.

"The Environment Agency has confirmed that the measures remaining in place at the dam will be able to manage the levels of rain forecasted, modeling against a number of scenarios. With this, and confirmation of the effectiveness of the work to repair the damage done and reduce the water coming into the reservoir, I am able to confirm it is safe for people to go back to their homes."

Officers and partners are in the process of putting in place the plans to assist residents to return to their homes and this will be completed in the coming hours. There will also be a visible police presence in and around the area for the next seven days to help the community and address any concerns.

There may be some delays on the roads when returning to your homes. Please bear with the emergency services and other agencies who are working to get residents back to their homes as safely and efficiently as possible.

The A5004 Buxton Road, just north of the junction of Macclesfield Road and Chapel Road, is currently closed due to urgent bridge repairs.

The Police has advised avoiding entering Whaley Bridge from the south on this route until further notice. Marsh Lane in New Mills is also closed due to utility works.

A multi-agency hub will be available later this afternoon at Whaley Bridge Primary School, 45 Buxton Road, Whaley Bridge, SK23 7HX for residents and businesses.

There will be representatives from High Peak Borough Council, Derbyshire police, Electricity North West, Cadent Gas, United Utilities, social care, Environment Agency, and mental health services. This will remain in place for the next seven days.