South Yorkshire defences repaired

The Environment Agency has repaired Flood defences across South Yorkshire, damaged by the November 2019 floods.

One year on from the November floods, the EA has checked 650 kilometres of flood defence embankments across South Yorkshire. They inspected over 3,000 flood defences, and identified over 100 individual repairs that were required at a cost of £12.8 million.

Helen Batt, flood risk manager at the Environment Agency said: “The November 2019 floods had a devastating impact on communities in South Yorkshire.”

“Since then we have been working closely with all partners to reduce flood risk in the future, using a catchment-wide approach which uses nature-based solutions, as well as hard engineered flood defences. We are completing a programme of repairs to ensure that all flood defences will be restored by winter, or will have sufficient temporary measures in place.”

Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: “In the long term, we are taking the risk of flooding extremely seriously, investing a record £5.2 billion over six years in 2,000 new flood defences. The Environment Agency is working with local representatives in South Yorkshire to ensure the area receives its share.”

According to the EA, work in South Yorkshire is due to be complete by the end of March 2021. This work is part of a wider £32 million package of repair works across Yorkshire and part of the £120 million national investment to repair defences.