THE £17 million upgrade of York’s Foss Barrier and Pumping Station is progressing to schedule, with work on target to finish before the end of the year.

The Environment Agency began a massive project to strengthen the flood defence complex after it was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of water coming down the River Foss on Boxing Day 2015.

The station’s failure allowed hundreds of homes and businesses along the course of the river and its tributaries to be inundated, with serious consequences.

The shock failure of the Foss Barrier meant the Ouse floodwaters backed up the Foss for the first time since 1982.

About 500 homes alongside the Ouse, the Foss, Tang Hall Beck and Osbaldwick Beck were inundated.

An independent report published by the Environment Agency in May last year established that during the floods water had poured into the barrier’s underground service tunnel and the draining system until water from the tunnel began emerging from the floor of the station building.

Saff were forced to turn off the electricity supply and open the barrier so it didn’t stay stuck in the down position.

The report said the Environment Agency’s decision to raise the barrier on the evening of December 26 prevented even more widespread flooding and delayed the peak water levels on the River Foss by 18 hours.

The report concluded the water got into the service tunnel drainage system through a leaking construction joint and an access cover which had been opened to pump water out of the service tunnel.

Improvements carried out in 2016 meant that by last Christmas, the pumping station could cope with any repeat of the 2015 river levels.

This year’s work, which includes strengthening the electricity supply to the station, will make it able to deal with even greater water flows down the Foss in future.

An agency spokesman said new pumps installed last year increased the capacity to about 40 tonnes per second and it would be able to cope with the higher capacity by the end of this year when an increased power supply would be in place.

“Work is progressing to programme for it to be operational from the new building with the pumping capacity increased by December 17,” he said.

“The old first floor of the building has been demolished and foundations prepared for the new steel frame, which will commence after Easter.

“The barrier remains fully operational while the upgrade work is being carried out.”

He said that in addition to the barrier upgrade, the agency was looking at some local works on the River Foss as well.

“We will be looking at where high flows spill out of the River Foss channel and what measures can be taken to keep it within channel to provide an additional level of protection to that provided by the upgraded barrier.”