Workington: a case study in coordination and communication

This study was carried out to identify the social impact of losing transport links within a community, and the practices of coordination and communication during and after an extreme adverse event. In November 2009, Workington, Cumbria had most of its bridges either damaged or destroyed during a major flood. The effects of the disaster were immediate, while the subsequent planning and recovery process took time. Over 3 years, Cumbria County Council (CCC) went through a coordinated process of installing temporary infrastructure, building and repairing Workington's bridges. A desk-based investigation of the disaster and the recovery process using websites and the local press demonstrates a coordinated approach to replace Workington's infrastructure and the importance of communication in the town's recovery. CCC, through a series of practical measures, reduced disruption within the community in stages. The reconstruction of the town's bridges involved communication and public consultation about the new infrastructure. The CCC explained the design, financial and engineering elements of the bridges to the public with some success. The research found that the loss of each bridge had significant social impacts, and the coordinated actions and communication of CCC helped the community understand and, importantly, accept that reconstruction would not be immediate.