Flooding information
The University is open with teaching and other events taking place as planned wherever possible.
River levels have begun to slowly fall in Worcester, allowing some roads to re-open:
- Worcester Road Bridge and New Road are open to vehicle traffic in both directions, with a two-way contraflow system running along New Road.
- Pedestrian access is available over Worcester Road Bridge and New Road.
- The Sabrina footbridge has now re-opened.
- Many other roads are still closed, including Hylton Road and Croft Road.
- The Severn Stars game on Saturday 29 at the University Arena is taking place.
The University’s Moors Car park in the city centre is fully open. The car park cannot currently be accessed from Croft Road but is accessible through the local side roads.
For the latest information on road closures etc, please see the ongoing updates below.
Useful and regularly updated information is available on the following Twitter feeds:
Do also check local news, including Worcester News and BBC Hereford and Worcester.
If you are unable to make it to teaching sessions at the University because of the floods, please contact the relevant module leader and notify them of your absence in the normal way.
Avoid walking into flood water - it can be difficult to judge the depth and could be contaminated.
Page last updated: 7.00am 29 February 2020.
Latest updates:
7.00am, Saturday 29 February 2020
8.00pm, Friday 28 February 2020
3.50pm, Friday 28 February 2020
3.00pm, Friday 28 February 2020
10.00am, Friday 28 February 2020
8.30am, Friday 28 February 2020
6.00am, Friday 28 February 2020
10.00pm, Thursday 27 February 2020
4.00pm, Thursday 27 February 2020
3.10pm, Thursday 27 February 2020
1.25pm, Thursday 27 February 2020
12.55pm, Thursday 27 February 2020
12.10pm, Thursday 27 February 2020
6.00am, Thursday 27 February 2020
3.30pm, Wednesday 26 February 2020
2.50pm, Wednesday 26 February 2020
1.40pm, Wednesday 26 February 2020
12.45pm, Wednesday 26 February 2020
12.30pm, Wednesday 26 February 2020
11.05am, Wednesday 26 February 2020
10.50am, Wednesday 26 February 2020
10.25am, Wednesday 26 February 2020
10.00am, Wednesday 26 February 2020
9.00am, Wednesday 26 February 2020
8.40am, Wednesday 26 February 2020
8.00am, Wednesday 26 February 2020
7.00am, Wednesday 26 February 2020
6.00am, Wednesday 26 February 2020
9.50pm, Tuesday 25 February 2020
6pm, Tuesday 25 February 2020
4.10pm, Tuesday 25 February 2020
The Riverside social learning space is closed and will re-open as soon as possible. Further updates will be posted to this page when available.
Social learning spaces at City and St John's campuses are open as usual.
3.00pm, Tuesday 25 February 2020
1.15pm, Tuesday 25 February 2020
12.40pm, Tuesday 25 February 2020
12.20pm, Tuesday 25 February 2020
11.50am, Tuesday 25 February 2020
11.15am, Tuesday 25 February 2020
10.57am, Tuesday 25 February 2020
10.55am, Tuesday 25 February 2020
9.15am, Tuesday 25 February 2020
Please be aware that the University Arena car parks are now closed. If your car is currently parked at the Arena, please move it to another location as soon as possible.
9.00am, Tuesday 25 February 2020
8.00am, Tuesday 25 February 2020
Flood waters are now quickly approaching Sabrina Bridge on Grandstand Road (the Pitchcroft side of the river).
Although the bridge is still currently open, we advise pedestrians to cross the river via the Road Bridge.
7.00am, Tuesday 25 February 2020
The flood barrier is now in place on Hylton Road. At the moment there is no water on either side of the barrier.
Hylton Road is closed to vehicles with road signage preventing cars travelling through from the top of Hylton Road down to the Arena.
Hylton Road is currently mostly clear of water. There is a small amount of water starting to pool on the zebra crossing by Sabrina bridge. There is also some water rising from the drains on the between Worcester News and the neighbouring ETB.
6.30am, Tuesday 25 February 2020
7.15pm, Monday 24 February 2020
10.25am, Monday 24 February 2020
With river levels forecast to rise again, Hylton Road will be closed tonight at 7pm for the installation of the flood barriers.
The barriers will be located outside the Arena and prevent traffic travelling between the Arena and the traffic lights outside the McDonald's on Tybridge Street.
8.00am, Monday 24 February 2020
6.30am, Saturday 22 February 2020
8.30pm, Friday 21 February 2020
4.20pm, Friday 21 February 2020
10.30am, Friday 21 February 2020
8.55am, Friday 21 February 2020
7.55am, Friday 21 February 2020
Sabrina footbridge in Worcester has now re-opened. Please make sure to use the high level footpath on top of the flood bund due to excessive silt on Hylton road and footways.
The flood barriers are still in place on Hylton Road.
Vehicle traffic is currently running in both directions over Worcester Road Bridge and New Road. This includes normal bus services as well as cars. There is currently dry access for pedestrians and cyclists along the Road Bridge and New Road.
There is still significant flood water on many roads and footpaths so check that your route is safe before setting off.
Avoid walking into flood water - it can be difficult to judge the depth and could be contaminated.
6.50am, Friday 21 February 2020
6.15am, Friday 21 February 2020
4.30pm, Thursday 20 February 2020
4.00pm, Thursday 20 February 2020
3.30pm, Thursday 20 February 2020
2.45pm, Thursday 20 February 2020
11.45am, Thursday 20 February 2020
8.10am, Thursday 20 February 2020
7.20am, Thursday 20 February 2020
2.30pm, Wednesday 19 February 2020
7.20am, Wednesday 19 February 2020
6.45am, Wednesday 19 February 2020
Vehicle traffic is currently running in both directions over Worcester Road Bridge and New Road. This includes normal bus services as well as cars. There is currently dry access for pedestrians and cyclists along the Road Bridge and New Road.
There is still significant flood water on many roads and footpaths so check that your route is safe before setting off.
Avoid walking into flood water - it can be difficult to judge the depth and could be contaminated.
6.00am, Wednesday 19 February 2020
Vehicle traffic is now running in both directions over Worcester Road Bridge. This includes normal bus services as well as cars. There is currently dry access for pedestrians and cyclists along the Road Bridge and New Road.
There is still significant flood water on many roads and footpaths so check that your route is safe before setting off.
Avoid walking into flood water - it can be difficult to judge the depth and could be contaminated.
2.30pm, Tuesday 18 February 2020
1.40pm, Tuesday 18 February 2020
1.30pm, Tuesday 18 February 2020
11.10am, Tuesday 18 February 2020
9.15am, Tuesday 18 February 2020
8.40am, Tuesday 18 February 2020
Vehicle traffic is now running in both directions over Worcester Road Bridge. This includes normal bus services as well as cars. There is dry access for pedestrians and cyclists.
7.10am, Tuesday 18 February 2020
New Road and the Worcester Road bridge over the river severn are both open to vehicles and pedestrians this morning. Shuttle buses are therefore not running.
There is still significant flood water on many roads and footpaths so check that your route is safe before setting off.
Avoid walking into flood water - it can be difficult to judge the depth and could be contaminated.
6.40am, Tuesday 18 February 2020
6.10am, Tuesday 18 February 2020
9.20pm, Monday 17 February 2020
8.45pm, Monday 17 February 2020
8.15pm, Monday 17 February 2020
7.45pm, Monday 17 February 2020
The University will be open tomorrow with teaching and other events taking place as planned wherever possible. There are, of course, some members of staff and some students who are finding it difficult to travel in to work/study.
Safety is the key priority for the university and our dedicated staff have been checking routes and buildings over the last 24 hours. We have also been liaising with the relevant agencies and sharing new information as soon as we can with students and staff. We had staff at key locations, such as the Arena, on hand today to give advice and directions and will continue to offer this support tomorrow.
There are currently travel routes open across the river to the University by both foot and car. The bridge at Holt Fleet is open and this is the best route for vehicles to access the St John’s side of the Severn. A shuttle bus service for pedestrians is currently in operation across the Worcester Road Bridge. Pedestrian can then follow Henwick Road to reach the St Johns campus.
We understand that there may continue to be localised flooding and would advise people to check that their route is clear before setting off.
You can find useful and regularly updated information on the following websites:
If you are unable to make it to University tomorrow because the roads you need to use are not clear, please contact your personal tutor to confirm your absence in the normal way.
3.30pm, Monday 17 February 2020
All activities scheduled to take place at the University Arena this evening have been relocated or rescheduled. This means that the Arena will close at 5pm today.
3.00pm, Monday 17 February 2020
Worcestershire Highways & Travel have just tweeted to confirm that the shuttle bus across Worcester bridge and New Road will run until 11pm tonight. There will also be pedestrian access along New Road on the cricket ground side shortly - the only flooded area on the footway is by the cricket club car park access, where raised walkways will be placed.
2.30pm, Monday 17 February 2020
This picture taken with a drone by a member of our Geography team shows the extent of the flooding in Worcester at the moment. Remember, avoid walking into flood water - it can be difficult to judge the depth and could be contaminated.
1pm, Monday 17 February 2020
The situation is largely unchanged from this morning, so please continue to be aware of the advice in the information below. Remember, only travel if you are sure that it is safe to do so.
Please note that parking at the Arena and Riverside has been closed off since Sunday. Some cars were parked there before the closure and are at risk of flooding. If your car is at the Arena, please contact Security on 01905 855000 so that they can advise you on moving your vehicle to a better location.
10.30am, Monday 17 February 2020
For the latest information on the flooding situation in Worcester, please see the information from 8.30am below.
It is quite quiet on campus, but it is business as usual wherever possible, including at the Arena, where there are plenty of sports students in action this morning.
As far as we can determine, the public shuttle buses are running into the evening unless the river rises to a level where it’s unsafe to continue to do so.
We will post any significant updates to this page if events change, but here are a few Twitter feeds to keep an eye on for up-to-the-minute information:
Do also check local news, including Worcester News and BBC Hereford and Worcester
8.30am, Monday 17 February 2020
Due to the significant rainfall and consequent flooding, several key local roads, including the Worcester Road Bridge, are now closed to cars. The bridge at Holt Fleet is open and is the best route for cars to cross the river Severn.
The Sabrina footbridge is also closed due to flooding on the racecourse side.
A shuttle bus service across the Worcester Road bridge, which will transport pedestrians, is now running. There is then dry pedestrian access to the Hive, City Campus, Jenny Lind Building and Art House in the Worcester side of the river, and to the St John’s Campus and Severn Campus on the Severn side.
Hylton Road is currently closed to vehicles and pedestrians. There is dry pedestrian access to all University buildings on the Severn Campus, including the Garage, the Riverside Building and the University of Worcester Arena. This access is via Hardwick Close, which is just off Henwick Road. Members of the Security Team are stationed at the St John’s Severn campus entrance and are giving directions on the walking route to the Severn Campus.
A minibus service is running from the Severn Gate layby to the Bullring Co-op carpark, although walking is advised. The minibus is planned to run until at least 5pm, unless the road bridge re-opens for cars.
The University’s Moors Car park in the city centre is fully open and unaffected by flooding. This is likely to remain the situation as the flood water is falling according to the Environment Agency gauges above and below Worcester. The car park cannot be accessed from Croft Road but can be accessed through the local side roads.
The University is open with teaching and other events taking place as planned wherever possible.
You can find useful information on the following websites:
8.30pm, Sunday 16 February 2020
The University will be open as normal tomorrow. Staff and students are advised to take care when commuting as there are a number of road closures throughout the region.
Worcester News latest road closures: https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/li/traffic_and_travel.in.Worcester/
The River Severn is continuing to rise after the heavy rainfall over the weekend and the Environment Agency has installed the flood barriers on Hylton Road.
Hylton Road is now closed to through traffic. The barriers are located directly outside the University of Worcester Arena and prohibit traffic travelling between the Arena and the traffic lights outside the McDonalds on Tybridge Street. If you are travelling to the St. John’s campus from the City Centre by car, you can continue to cross the Severn on the main Road Bridge and then turn right on to Henwick Road from the Bullring in St. John’s (turning just before the Co-op).
The entrance to the Arena and Severn Campus car parks are expected to remain open and can be accessed from the St. John’s Campus via Hylton Road, turning at the Worcester News (Berrows House) building and accessing rear of the site. There is some standing water accumulating on the Arena side of the barrier, which is being monitored.
Anyone travelling across the city by foot is reminded to take great care and to avoid walking into flood water, which may be difficult to judge in terms of depth and may also be contaminated. As river levels continue to rise, it may become necessary to close the Sabrina footbridge. This situation is being kept under close review. If the Sabrina Bridge is closed, it is likely that it will be possible to travel by foot across the Road Bridge via New Road.
Download a map showing suggested walking routes
You can find useful information on the following websites:
The situation on campus is being monitored. If there is any significant change in information, particularly in relation to access to buildings, we will issue a further update tomorrow morning.
You may also wish to consult the University’s Adverse Weather Policy.
3pm, Sunday 16 February 2020
We have been advised by the Environment Agency that the River Severn is continuing to rise and that it is necessary to install the flood barriers on Hylton Road.
Hylton Road is now closed to through traffic. The barriers are located directly outside the University of Worcester Arena and will prohibit traffic travelling between the Arena and the traffic lights outside the McDonalds on Tybridge Street.
The entrance to the Arena and Severn Campus car parks will remain open and can be accessed from the St. John’s Campus via Hylton Road. If you are parked at the Severn Campus and need to travel into the city centre, you will be able to turn left on to Hylton Road and towards the St. John’s Campus and then travel back along Henwick Road to reach the bridge. Both the road bridge and the Sabrina footbridge are open.
11am, Sunday 16 February 2020
There is currently significant flooding in the region. For up to date information, please see the Flood Information Service website: https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/warnings?location=+worcestershire
8.30am, Friday 14 February 2020
Temporary closure of Hylton Road – 18:30, Friday 14 February
Hylton Road will be closed for approximately three hours from 18:30 on Friday 14 February) to allow for the installation of flood pumps.
The closure will be from the top of Hylton Road, adjacent to the turning to the St. John’s Campus, down to the Riverside Building. Access to frontages will remain. Vehicular and pedestrian access to the Riverside and Arena buildings will be maintained via Tybridge Street onto Hylton Road.
The Arena will be open for this evening’s Worcester Wolves home game and local road closure signage has been updated to confirm access to the Arena is still available.
In the event of flooding
The River Severn is already very high, so it is quite possible that it will become necessary for the Environment Agency to install the flood barriers on Hylton Road at some point over the weekend.
The barriers are located directly outside the University of Worcester Arena and will prohibit traffic travelling between the Arena and the traffic lights outside the McDonalds on Tybridge Street.
Download the map showing the flood barrier location [PDF]
If Hylton Road is closed and you are travelling to the St. John’s campus from the City Centre by car, you can turn right on to Henwick Road from the Bullring in St. John’s (turning just before the Co-op).
We will continue to keep staff and students updated through the following channels if there is new information:
- All student and staff emails
- Regular updates to this web page
- Posts on our official social media channels, including Facebook and Twitter
- Posts on the firstpoint blog
You can also find useful information on the following websites:
You may also wish to consult the University’s Adverse Weather Policy.
If you have any specific concerns or questions about the conditions on campus, you can reach Security on 01905 855 000.