Emergencies
River Shuttle Flood Alert in Sidcup and Blackfen: What to Do
The Environment Agency issues flood alerts for the River Shuttle through Blackfen, Lamorbey Park and Sidcup. What an alert means and what to do at home.
Published 11 October 2026
A flood alert for the River Shuttle means flooding is possible, so it is time to get ready, not to panic: move valuables and documents upstairs, check you know where your consumer unit and stopcock are, and keep an eye on updates. A flood warning means flooding is expected and you should act now; a severe flood warning means danger to life. The Shuttle’s warning area runs through Blackfen, Sidcup Golf Course, Lamorbey Park and Sidcup to Old Bexley and Hall Place, and you can sign up for free alerts on gov.uk.
Where the Shuttle runs
Most people in Sidcup know the Shuttle as the stream in Lamorbey Park. It is a small river, but it drains a lot of built-up land, and after heavy rain it rises quickly.
The Environment Agency’s flood warning area for the Shuttle covers it “at Blackfen, Sidcup Golf Course, Lamorbey Park, Sidcup and Old Bexley to Hall Place”. It joins the River Cray near Hall Place in Bexley. On the other side of Sidcup, the Cray itself runs through Foots Cray Meadows, past the Five Arch Bridge, and has its own warning area.
On 29 August 2025 a flood alert was issued for the Shuttle and Cray, warning of flooding on low-lying land and roads along the Shuttle, particularly in and around Bexley. Alerts like that are not rare after a wet spell, so it pays to know what to do before the next one.
Alert, warning or severe warning?
The Environment Agency uses three levels:
- Flood alert: flooding is possible. Be prepared.
- Flood warning: flooding is expected. Take action now.
- Severe flood warning: severe flooding, danger to life.
An alert is usually for an area, not your street, and most alerts pass without water reaching homes. It is your cue to do the quick things below while there is time.
When an alert comes in: what to do
- Check the latest flood information on gov.uk for the Shuttle and Cray.
- Move car keys, phones, chargers, medicines and documents somewhere high.
- Carry rugs, photos and small electricals upstairs or on to high shelves.
- Find your consumer unit and stopcock and make sure you can get to them.
- If you have flood boards or airbrick covers, get them out and ready.
- Move the car to higher ground if your road is low-lying.
- Check on elderly neighbours.
- If the alert becomes a warning, fit the flood boards and switch off the electrics before water arrives, if it is safe to do so.
If water gets in
- Switch off electricity at the consumer unit, but only from a dry spot.
- Do not touch sockets, switches or appliances that are wet.
- Stay out of flood water. It is often contaminated with sewage and can hide open manholes.
- If you smell gas, leave and call National Gas Emergency on 0800 111 999.
- If there is risk to life, call 999.
Drains: the hidden route in
In a lot of Sidcup’s 1930s semis the first sign of flooding is not river water at the front door. It is dirty water coming up through a downstairs toilet, a shower tray or a drain gully in the garden. When the sewers and surface water drains fill up during heavy rain, they can back up into the lowest connection point.
If that has happened before, ask about:
- a non-return valve on your drain, which lets water out but not back in;
- toilet pan bungs or a pan seal for the downstairs toilet during an alert;
- checking that your gullies and gutters are clear before winter.
If the blockage or backflow affects only your house and your drain is not shared, the drain is likely yours. If several houses are affected or the problem is outside your boundary, report it to Thames Water, which manages the public sewers here.
After the water goes down
- Take photos and video of every room before you clear anything.
- Ring your insurer and get a claim number.
- Do not switch electrics back on until an electrician has checked any wet circuits.
- Keep the gas boiler off until a Gas Safe registered engineer has checked it. We do not work on gas.
- Have the drains checked for silt and debris.
- Have the hot water cylinder and immersion checked if they were in a flooded room.
- Run the cold kitchen tap until it runs clear.
Who to contact
- The Environment Agency for flood warnings and river levels (sign up on gov.uk).
- Bexley Council for road flooding, sandbag policy and help if you are displaced. Sidcup is in the London Borough of Bexley.
- Thames Water for sewer flooding and public drains.
- Your insurer for damage to the house and contents.
- Us for drains, leaks and plumbing checks after the water has gone.
Insurance after a flood
Buildings insurance usually covers flood damage to the structure and fixtures; contents insurance covers belongings. Keep receipts for anything you buy to dry out or protect the house. Our insurance help page explains the report we write for insurers.
When to call us
Call us if water is backing up through toilets or drains, a pipe has been damaged, or you need the plumbing checked and written up after a flood. We cover insurance claim work in Sidcup and blocked drains in Sidcup. More on the town is on our Sidcup area page.
Need a plumber now?
Call 07868 281022 and tell us your postcode, where the water is coming from, and whether the water and electrics are off. We agree the price with you before any work starts.