RESIDENTS have slammed new £4million sewer improvement works by the River Roding for causing massive disruption and failing to tackle flooding.

Thames Water is building seven combined sewage overflow (CSO) chambers at the request of the Environment Agency to sieve out litter from excess sewage water which drains into the river during heavy rain.

But those living near the river have condemned the plans as the overflow only comes into effect around once a year, will not stop flooding of homes and cause three months of traffic "chaos".

Julie Elkholy, 41, of Chigwell Road, has her garden backing straight onto the Roding and is regularly at risk when the water level rises.

The mum-of-four said: "I think £4million is an awful lot of money to spend when it won't even fix the problem of flooding. They should put the cash to better use such as dealing with the excess water.

"We have been promised before that the drains would be cleared and someone would dredge the bottom of the river but nothing has been done.

"It's lovely down here as we have swans at the end of the garden and families walk nearby in the summer - but as soon as it starts to rain panic sets in."

Scores of homes were damaged when the Roding burst its banks in February while more than 250 households were affected after torrential downpours in 2000.

Monkhams ward councillor Linda Huggett told an area two committee meeting that many people were worried about traffic problems resulting from the works.

She said: "The disruption will cause chaos on the roads. These roads are used a lot by parents taking their children to and from school.

"It's a very active area and I've already received concerns from residents."

Ten metres of sewer will be laid in Monkhams Lane, 14 metres in Oxford Road and 39 metres at Chigwell Road. Works are due to run from mid-September through to March next year.

A spokesman for Thames Water said the sewer overflow would only work on average of once every year.

An Environment Agency spokesman said: "The Combined River Overflow scheme is primarily there to improve the aesthetic quality of the River Roding by providing screens to capture litter and other debris in the water.

"It is not designed to be a flood alleviation scheme."

"The Environment Agency is currently producing the Roding Strategy, a flood risk management plan for the river and its main tributaries.

"Structural measures include constructing a flood storage area at Shonks Mill Bridge, pumping stations to reduce localised flooding from surface runoff in Ray Park and next to Chigwell Road plus Improving existing defences at Ray Park."

Calling Floodline on 0845 988 1188 or visiting environment-agency.gov.uk/flood to register for free flood warnings.