TACKLE FLOOD DEFENCES WHILE THERE'S STILL TIME

Published in North Devon Journal on Thu 26th Nov 2009

The ghastly pictures on our television screens of Cumbria's floods should give us all pause for thought closer to home.

During my time as North Devon's MP I have visited flooded homes in Ilfracombe, Braunton, Bishop's Tawton, Bradiford and Umberleigh, to name a few. I have found it the most harrowing experience, surpassed only by the Foot & Mouth disaster of 2001.

Barely a month goes by without environmental scientists telling us that climate change is happening even faster than they previously warned. The regularity of "freak" conditions is increasing, bringing real risks to more and more areas.

The Government has stepped up its priority on flooding since big floods in the autumn of 2000. But it is now clear that this just hasn't been enough.

Cumbrian MPs have said this week that if ministers were serious about reducing the risk of flooding, they should have invested in more flood relief schemes in risk areas before it was too late.

We now need a dramatic step change in the level of investment, which will be difficult in these economic conditions but is vital or lives will be lost.

The Environment Agency recently briefed me on plans for Braunton's flood defences. Adequate funds are not currently available to do what is needed. This is not their fault - it is the Government's.

Reports are also expected any day on necessary measures make Barnstaple's Seven Brethren bank safe for development. Plans in other parts of the town, at Pottington, have been abandoned because of flood risk.

As well as rivers, a North Devon & Somerset "shoreline management plan" is currently out to consultation. Critics say is not based on a sufficiently cautious estimate of rising sea levels, so I hope there is further pause for thought.

On top of funding shortfalls, flood prevention systems in Cumbria have been chaotic. The efforts of emergency services - including Chivenor's RAF Search & Rescue helicopter - have been remarkable.

But some Cumbrian residents on the Environment Agency's flood watch call list were apparently only texted six hours after their homes had been flooded.

It is said that the lack of priority given to upgrading ancient drainage systems exacerbated the devastation we have seen. This may also be true locally and to avoid future heartache, water companies need to address this urgently.

But the biggest challenge is for central Government: to increase investment in flood defences while there is still time.