Romney Marsh Evacuation Plan ABRIDGED VERSION

ABRIDGED VERSION
Romney Marsh Diversion and
Evacuation Route Plan
The latest version of this document may be requested from Shepway District Council
Emergency Planning – 01303 853264
Shepway District Council, Civic Centre, Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone CT20 2QY
and forms part of the Shepway Local Multi-Agency Flood Plan
All organisations should ensure that if printed copies of this document are being used, the
latest version is obtained from this source.
Version 2.0
February 2014
Classification:
Next scheduled review: February 2015
ABRIDGED VERSION
Issue & review register
Summary of changes
Issue
number &
date
Approved by
New Issue
V.1 February
2014
Shepway First
Responder Group
Updated details for the KRT
V.1 May
2014
Shepway First
Responder Group
Updated existing routes and
alternative routes
V.1 May
2014
Shepway First
Responder Group
Update to Training Section
V.1 May
2014
Shepway First
Responder Group
Update following final meeting on
02.07.14
V.2 July 2014 Shepway First
Responder Group
Distribution:
Kent Police
Kent Fire & Rescue Service
National Health Service
Secamb
Kent Resilience Team (KRT)
KCC Highways Management Centre
KCC Community Wardens
KCC Emergency Planning
Shepway District Council
Shepway First Responder Group
Environment Agency
Romney Marsh Forum
Highways Agency
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Contents
Introduction and Background: .......................................................................................................... 3
Who is this Plan for? .................................................................................................................... 4
Associated Plans .......................................................................................................................... 5
Evacuation Routes: .......................................................................................................................... 5
Eastbound Diversion .................................................................................................................... 7
Westbound Diversion ................................................................................................................... 7
Alerting / Activation Schedule .......................................................................................................... 7
Media and Communications - Public Warning & Informing……………………………………………9
Signage and Traffic Management : .................................................................................................. 9
Training ............................................................................................................................................ 9
Exercising ...................................................................................................................................... 10
Welfare Arrangements for Displaced Residents / Drivers .............................................................. 10
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Introduction and Background:
Following concerns around access and egress routes from the A259 (the main road which leads
from Folkestone to Romney Marsh) it was decided to develop this plan (which forms part of the
Shepway Local Multi-Agency Flood Plan) to help inform multi-agency partners of identified routes
away from the A259 via accessible roads further North of the District. Historically this road has
been closed on many occasions due to road traffic crashes – some of which involve lengthy
investigation work by Kent Police. The main concern, however, has been evacuation in the event
of coastal flooding where there is some notice given by the Environment Agency of the possibility
and likelihood of a flooding event taking place. It should be noted that Shepway District Council
has the 9th highest flood risk in the UK. The Romney Marsh Forum (which is a partnership of all
the Parish Councils in the area) has requested that this plan is available and it will also form part
of their Community Resilience plans in the area. The coastline of the Shepway District is some
26.5 miles long and poses a potential tidal flood risk to 67.8 square miles of land within the District.
There are approximately14,500 properties at risk of flooding on the Romney Marsh.
Below is a map showing the flood warning areas for the Romney Marsh
The A259 is an extremely busy road and its maintenance and management is the responsibility of
the Highways Agency Southwards from the roundabout with the A2070. The road is busiest during
the summer months when large numbers of tourists arrive in the area to stay in the numerous
caravan parks and holiday homes in the vicinity. These tourists inevitably do not know local roads
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and therefore cause a problem trying to look for diversion routes when Kent Police try to disperse
them from the scene of the incident.
The A2070 is a busy road also, leading to Ashford town centre, and it is the responsibility of the
Highways Agency. This could be used as an evacuation route but consideration must be taken of
impacts regarding the access and egress of Ashford town centre.
Representation of Highways Agency managed roads in the South East.
Representation of Highways Agency managed roads in the Romney Marsh area.
Part of the plan will be to develop a signage schedule for these local roads, in conjunction with the
Highways Agency, KCC Highways and Transportation and Kent Police, and identify one way
systems on roads, as inevitably there will not only be cars evacuating but also HGVs, caravans
and buses. Some of the roads identified are narrow and are only suitable for one way use.
Who is this Plan for?
This plan is intended for use by tactical and operational personnel. It is not intended to be used at
strategic level although members of the Strategic Co-ordination Group should be made aware of it
as part of the SDC Major Emergency Plan and SDC Local Multi-Agency Flood Plan.
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JESIP – Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Procedures will be incorporated into this multiagency plan. From December 2013 training has been rolled out to Cat 1 and 2
Responders around shared situational awareness with a shared understanding of risk and
joint decision making.
Associated Plans
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Emergency Services individual response plans (Police, Fire, Ambulance)
NHS Eastern & Coastal Kent Primary Care Trust emergency plan
Shepway Local Multi-Agency Flood Plan
Shepway District Council Major emergency & associated plans
Other Districts’ emergency plans
KCC Major Emergency Plan
KCC Rest Centre Guidelines
Shepway District Council Rest Centre Directory
KRF Pan Kent Emergency Recovery Framework
KRF Mass Evacuation and Shelter Plan (inc. Transport Plan)
KRF Mass Fatalities Plan
KRF Humanitarian Assistance Plan
Marsh Forum Community Resilience Plan(s)
Driver Welfare Plan
The Use of Roads to Evacuate People (DEFRA Study)
NB Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of plans and other agencies plans may be
required to be read in conjunction with this document.
Evacuation Routes:
KCC Highways and Transportation already have diversion routes established on the Romney
Marsh in the event of the road being closed at Dymchurch and a map is shown beneath detailing
these routes. The A259 and A2070 remain the primary routes for evacuation, however In the event
of the loss of the A259 completely the routes detailed should be used.
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Existing Evacuation Routes – KCC Highways and Transportation – please refer to HMC Signage
Schedule for details in Appendix A
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Eastbound Diversion (preferred route):
 Turn off the A259 High Street onto Mill Rd
 Continue onto Eastbridge Rd and travel 3.2 miles
 Turn right onto Lower Wall Rd and travel 3.6 miles

Turn right onto Botolphs Bridge Rd and travel 0.9 miles
 Turn left onto Dymchurch Rd/A259
Westbound Diversion:
 From Dymchurch
 Head West on Mill Rd toward Station Rd
 Continue onto St Mary’s Rd
 Turn Left onto St Mary’s Rd/Route 2
Continue to follow St Mary’s Rd
 Slight Left onto Fairfield Rd
 Turn right onto Dymchurch Rd/A259
Continue to follow A259 (Go through 1 roundabout)
 Lydd Rd/A259
If heading towards Dymchurch from the West, and the A259 is blocked in both directions, the
Westbound evacuation route can be accessed at New Romney by travelling up St Mary’s Road,
using the access off the A259 Dymchurch Road at The Plough Pub.
It has been agreed by Kent Police that in the event of a mass evacuation from the Romney Marsh
this would probably affect the traffic to and from the Dover Ports and the Channel Tunnel. If this is
the case and the Police wanted to implement operation stack, vehicles would be held at Junction
8-9 on the M20 in the first instance (Phase 3). It has been agreed that the Romney Marsh
evacuation plan will be referred to in the Operation Stack manual.
Alerting / Activation
Kent Police – For closure due to a serious RTC – Kent Police have in place operational
information on their call system that alerts the call handler to assess and make the required calls.
For closure due to a flooding risk / Incident – the Environment Agency warnings would need to
be followed carefully and a decision made collectively as to when the area would need to be
evacuated safely. The Environment Agency are shortly to produce flood modelling for the Marsh
showing anticipated timings and which roads will be flooded first and this should be included in this
plan.
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Highways Agency Highways Agency roads around Romney Marsh are managed and maintained
by BBMM on behalf of the Agency. Current agreed response times to incidents requiring traffic
management are ‘travelling time’ from the most appropriate of the following depots:
Stanford Depot
M20 Honeywood, Sandling, Hythe
Battle Depot
Marley Lane, Battle East
In the event of a planned evacuation (for pre-warned flooding) HA will ensure that their service
providers were in place to implement road closures/diversions in accordance with the
requirements of the Gold or Silver Commander agreed at either Strategic Co-ordinating Group or
Tactical Co-ordinating Group.
Highways Management Centre – Emergency signage request for the Highways Agency should
be placed through the Highways Management Centre during working hours. This would be at the
request of the Kent Police Commander out of hours
Lydd Airport – This plan has been shared with Lydd Airport and they have been consulted with
regard to the content with reference to their passengers’ ongoing journey when they leave the
airport terminal. They will be contacted in the event of the plan being implemented by either the
KCC/KRT Duty Officer or the Shepway District Council Emergency Response Officer as
necessary.
Dover Port - Dover Port have systems in place to contact all of the operators and internal
customers in order to disseminate information to their staff / customers in turn, together with social
media sites and on-board announcements by the ferry operators.
Dover Port Terminal Control receive situational information via e-mail therefore any incidents
should be directed to [email protected] (this in-box is monitored 24/7).
Channel Tunnel – The Channel Tunnel management will be sent a copy of this plan for
information.
Dungeness – This plan has been shared with Dungeness Power Station and also with their
Central Emergency Support Centre at Barnwood.
Caravan and Campsites – A copy of this plan will be sent to caravans and campsites on the
Romney Marsh, together with a copy of the leaflet showing evacuation routes for use by their
customers.
KCC Community Wardens – Community Wardens are aware of the plan and will be distributing
the leaflet and any other information to caravans, campsites and residents and will liaise with the
Kent Resilience Team.
Kent Resilience Team (KRT) – The KRT will continue to liaise with all stakeholders and the usual
KCC/KRT Emergency Planning Duty Officer arrangements will apply.
Shepway District Council – This plan forms part of the Shepway Local Multi-Agency Flood Plan
and will be adopted by the Shepway First Responders Group. In the first instance the KCC/KRT
Duty Officer will contact the on call Emergency Response Officer at Shepway District Council
should an incident occur.
Romney Marsh Forum – The Romney Marsh Forum have been given a copy of this plan for use
in conjunction with any Community Resilience plans in place.
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Signage and Traffic Management - The Highways Agency display on the VMS signs on the M20
stating that ‘No Access to Romney Marsh’– please use alternative route.
Balfour Beatty Mott Macdonald HA’s Service Provider will attend each individual incident taking
traffic management kit stored at one of the two depots listed above to close roads/junctions for
incidents or evacuations.
Please see Annex A for the signage schedule and sample signs.
Media and Communications – Alerting the Public
It is imperative that timely, high quality information is given to the public in order to achieve
success of any plan.
The primary focus of the evacuation is about looking after vulnerable members of the population
who may require extra help or support. Those who are able to self-evacuate should be
encouraged to do so and make their own way to safety.
On activation of the Kent Resilience Forum (KRF) Media & Communications Plan (held at
www.kentconnects.gov.uk/krf/krf-library) Kent Police Media Services will coordinate all press
releases and interviews to the media, acting as the Lead Responder. That Plan requires Media or
Press Office representatives from other Category 1 Responders to contribute to these messages
and to retweet key messages on Twitter.
The most effective way of informing the public must be considered, paying particular attention to
the format of the warning message.
Key considerations
1. Who do you need to contact?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
People who live in and know the area
People who are visiting and may not know the area
Vulnerable people (see Identifying Vulnerable People in an Emergency)
People in situation e.g. homes, caravans, workplace
People in transit e.g. cars, public transport
2. What do you need to tell them?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Why they are being evacuated
Where they are being evacuated to
How they will be evacuated
What evacuation route to take
What to do in their homes
What to bring with them
What to do about domestic companion animals and guide dogs
3. How do you share your messages?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
Social Media – Twitter, Facebook
Local Radio
Local TV
Local Press (via their online pages)
Local Authority Websites
Other Responders’ Websites
Staff on the ground (leaflets and information boards)
VMS on Motorways
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Training
Each statutory organisation will be responsible for training and dissemination of this plan to their
appropriate staff. The plan will, however, be available to Community Resilience Groups, Parish
Councils, volunteer flood wardens etc., and the Kent Resilience Team (KRT) will undertake to train
these organisations.
Exercising
A table-top exercise to test and validate this plan will be held in September 2014 (before winter
arrangements are in place by HMC) and the plan will be updated every two years, with a check on
contact numbers annually. Statutory organisations will be invited to this table-top together with
those interested local Parish Councils, Flood Wardens and Community Resilience teams
Welfare Arrangements for Displaced Residents / Drivers
Shepway District Council have plans in place for humanitarian assistance to be delivered to their
residents. This may include welfare arrangements for those residents whose homes have been
flooded and their accommodation in rest centres or temporary hotel accommodation. Shepway
District Council have a rest centre directory and a dynamic decision will be made at the time of an
incident on which rest centre will be used.
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