UK: Barclay Calls on Environment Agency to Increase Dredging

MP Steve Barclay has called on the Environment Agency to increase its dredging of the Old Bedford River and demonstrate that the lessons of the Somerset floods are being applied in the Fens.

“At present the Environment Agency are dredging some parts of the Old Bedford River but not all the areas recommended by local Internal Drainage Boards,” he said.

“We have been fortunate locally to not suffer from the extensive flooding inflicted on so many areas of Somerset. Whilst the Environment Agency has disputed the extent to which more extensive dredging could have avoided the widespread flooding in the West Country it is clear from the intervention of the Prime Minister on Wednesday that dredging was a factor and this is reflected in the future work programme of the Environment Agency in that area. The Environment Agency have said that in Somerset they are increasing their dredging activity once the current water levels have receded, and we should not wait for flooding before changing our own programme locally.”

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Press Release, February 3, 2014