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Worcesters first four meetings of 2009 have been transferred to Southwell.
Can’t help thinking this does not look good for the course, especially as there are reports circulating that Arena want out of Worcester.
I heard that Arena have had the experts in and that there is a way to fix the problem, but they are not prepared to do it unless the council sell the land to them.
The problem is that the river is now flooding more regularly. I can’t see that problem being fixed without flooding other areas.
Rob
Thats what I thought, but apparently there are ideal places for drainage dykes that can be redirected.
Don’t ask me where, I don’t know!Rob,
Having had my houe flooded back in July 2007, I’ve since learnt quite a bit about the subject. If you consider the total volume of water that goes down the Severn past Worcester, the actual amount that causes the flooding at the track is quite small. I’d guess that if you have a foot of water across the course, that would only equal a few minutes flow from the river.
The problem at Worcester is that track is slightly lower lying than the river bank, so the water doesn’t drain back into the river. I reckon that raising the bank to prevent the flooding wouldn’t actually cause problems elsewhere, but that the cost can’t be justified since the damage caused by these floods (except to racing) is minimal.
The other issue is getting anyone to accept responsibility. It it’s anything like Swindon, the council will pass the buck to the water company, the water company will say it’s down to the Environment Agency and the EA will say they don’t have the money, or that there are higher priorities.
I certainly wouldn’t blame Arena Leisure if they give up because I have an idea what they are up against! Even if they were willing to meet the cost, I can imagine the problem they’d have getting approval from the various authorities.
Raised river banks, drainage ditches and a slightly elevated polytrack should solve the course’s problems and generate sufficient income to cover the costs. I don’t blame Arena for not wanting to play if they can’t change it for the better, no point flogging a drowning horse to death anymore.
AP
I bow to your knowledge gained from experience. Bearing in mind the company I work for handles drainage and flood relief projects, I should perhaps have thought a bit about volumes of water involved, although in my defence I work in the Data Communications field.
Our house is at the top of a hill so flooding isn’t really an issue in the North household.
As far as reponsibility is concerned it would be a matter between the local authority and the Enviroment Agency, the water company would not get involved unless the works had direct implications on water supply. I would assume this far down the Severn that there would be no public water supply abstraction.
My company have been working on a major flood relief scheme up here and the approvals required mean the process is very slow. All plans have to be agreed with the council (the customer) and then submitted to SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) for approval. Suffice to say, assuming the English system is more or less the same, I don’t think a solution at Worcester would be approved and implemented in a hurry, and the big stumbling block would be funding.
Rob
a slightly elevated polytrack
Pardon the pun, but AW racing in the Midlands is already at saturation point! Another artificial surface course can be far more usefully based elsewhere.
gc
Jeremy Grayson. Son of immigrant. Adoptive father of two. Metadata librarian. Freelance point-to-point / horse racing writer, analyst and commentator wonk. Loves music, buses, cats, the BBC Micro, ale. Advocate of CBT, PACE and therapeutic parenting. Aspergers.
a slightly elevated polytrack
Pardon the pun, but AW racing in the Midlands is already at saturation point! Another artificial surface course can be far more usefully based elsewhere.
gc
Like the Sahara
Isn’t the basic point that Arena have no opportunity at Worcester to develop housing estates/golf courses/ business parks, etc?
Probably the track used to be a nice little earner for them since their investment there has been minimal. But faced with the prospect of spending money, understandable they may want to get out.
Worcester was one of the fairest jump tracks in the country, with it’s flat configuration, sweeping bends and a long run in. A very good track for novice horses.
It wouldbe a real shame if the local authority who own the lease didn’t take action to re-assign it to a company who cared about racing – assuming Arena want out.
richard
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