Permanent flood barriers for Bewdley expected 'by 2024'
A town on the River Severn is to be given relief from flooding that has breached temporary barriers two years on the trot.
Wyre Forest MP Mark Garnier says new flood barriers for Beale’s Corner at Bewdley are scheduled to be completed by November 2024.
Surveys are to be carried out to evaluate what work is necessary to help prevent flooding on that side of the town.
Demountable barriers are already in use on the other side of the River Severn.
But they have failed to stem the rising waters of the River Severn both in Fenruary last year and again in recent weeks.
Mr Garnier says he has been assured a permanent solution is to be found.
He said: “We were all saying we needed permanent barriers. The Environment Agency spent £499,999 last February and the first time the temporary barriers were tests they overtopped.
“The Prime Minister Boris Johnson came to the area in March last year to look at the problem and met residents and flooding victims and agreed something had to be done.
“The Government is going to spend money and we are moving it along and work is scheduled to be completed in November 2024.
“I am moving for things to be done more quickly.”
The leader of Wyre Forest District Council is also pressing for the Government to support residents affected by recent flooding and for permanent barriers to be installed.
Councillor Graham Ballinger has written to George Eustice, secretary of state for the environment, highlighting the urgency of action following the recent failure of the temporary barriers in January of this year.
Beale’s Corner, on the Kidderminster side of the town, was also affected by serious flooding in February last year when the temporary barriers were breached.
The Environment Agency has said it will not be deploying the temporary barriers for a period of at least a few weeks because officials need to carry out further investigations to make sure public safety is not compromised.
Councillor Ballinger is demanding action that would prevent the same flooding devastation happening in future.
He said: “Despite the best efforts of the Environment Agency and its staff, many householders have been flooded three times in less than 12 months.
“The pattern of more frequent extreme rainfall events, as a result of global warming, suggests that this will regrettably become a common experience unless the Government acts.”
He said the council was continuing to support the clean-up following the recent floods and helping those affected to recover.
