Text entered

Environment Agency - Bank erosion repairs will reduce risk of flooding

www.environment-agency.gov.uk

16 March 2011

Up to 13,000 people in Cambridgeshire will benefit from work to reduce the risk of flooding.

The Environment Agency will soon finish repairing eroded banks along the tidal River Nene between Wisbech and Guyhirn.

During the six-week, £100,000 project, more than 1,000 tonnes of stone is being placed along a 150-metre stretch of bank.

Kevin O’Neill, Operations Delivery Technical Support Team Leader, said: “It was vital to repair the eroded river bank. Shoring-up the bank with Lincolnshire Limestone will help to reduce the risk of bank failure and cut flood risk to thousands of people living and working in the area.”

Rocks used during the work have been transported to site both by road and Environment Agency-owned barge.

Kevin said: “Using the barge for delivery of some of the stone means we are able to reduce the impact of the works on the busy A47 which runs adjacent to the site.

“However, some disruption will have been unavoidable because the huge volume of material means lorries have still had to be used. We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused but hope people will understand the importance of the work to thousands of people and properties in the area.”

The tidal Nene work will reduce the risk of flooding but cannot completely remove it.

To find out more about how they can protect themselves, their families and possessions, people should contact the Environment Agency’s Floodline on 0845 988 1188 or visit the website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/flood

This will enable them to check whether their home or business is at risk of flooding from the tidal Nene and to sign up for the Environment Agency’s free Floodline Warnings Direct service.

Anyone who spots something which they believe is causing a flood risk should contact the incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.