Boston MP highlights importance of Wainfleet dredging

Boston MP Matt Warman has called continued dredging in Wainfleet a ‘vital’ piece of the puzzle in preventing another disaster in the town.

Nearly 600 homes were flooded last year after heavy rainfall saw the River Steeping burst its banks, Lincolnshire Live reports.

Despite the challenges posed by Covid-19, targeted dredging in Wainfleet continues alongside other remedial action.

“This is a vital part of the plan to prevent the River Steeping flooding in future, and a great example of teamwork between national and local agencies including our Drainage Boards,” said Warman.

“To help the work get to this point I’ve had a large number of conversations with two Secretaries of State for the Environment, Michael Gove and George Eustice, the chair and chief executive of the Environment Agency, a host of local leaders and our local Drainage Boards.

“The result of all of us working together was a Partnership plan that was supported by all parties and that attracted the necessary funding to get the job done. I know how important it is to do all that is possible to prevent flooding not just because of the damage to people’s homes and livelihoods but also for the long-lasting effects on residents’ mental health.

“I will, as ever, continue to follow progress closely, and I pay tribute to all those who have been involved in getting to this point, not least local Cllr Wendy Bowkett as well as many others,” added Warman.

Around 68% of the first dredging phase in the Steeping River and Wainfleet Relief Channel (WRC) upstream of Wainfleet is now complete – that’s around 16,000 cubic meters of silt removed.

Residents will see the dredger on the Steeping River, moving through Wainfleet past Salem Bridge this month. It will then complete the downstream section of the Steeping River and the eastern end of the WRC up to the railway just before Christmas.