LETTER: Anti-flood funding does not scratch the surface

I have found it necessary to write about the unprecedented flooding that has occurred over the last few months.

First I have to agree entirely with D Bodley of Billbrook who put his article in the have to say page on the 2nd of March. It does look like that climate changes is happening all over world including Great Britain.

Every mature tree that is growing in this country drinks between 120 - 150 gallons of water every day. Just think how many trees have been cut down in this country alone over the last 40 years. It is not rocket science to work out how much water is now finding its way to the rivers much more quickly than ever before because of a lack of trees taking up much of the rain fall, add to that whole house frontages in front of houses that have been paved over thus water running off and into the road gutters and into the surface water drains, thus quicker to the rivers.

Then in the year 2000 the EU stopped us dredging the rivers, so the depths of the rivers are now shallower than ever, so it doesn’t take much time for the rivers to rise to overflown than ever.

Now I personally think that the main priority in this country is sorting out the flooding problem.

One has to feel sorry for the poor people that have been affected by the floods. Water up to 6ft deep in their houses and some have had it twice over the last few months.

The minister of state in Parliament last week was talking of two and half billion pounds being spent on the flood defences and saying it is the largest amount ever. Well I have a message for him. It is chicken feed. It doesn’t even scratch the surface.

What we need is money now to build permanent flood defences not temporary ones that have to be put up and taken down again when we have yellow alerts from the weather men.

Over the last 30 years plans to build new houses on flood plains have been passed. No wonder properties like these are flooded.

We need to restart dredging the rivers once again. The building of dams whereby the overflow of the rivers can be diverted thus keeping the river levels at near normal levels. The amount of money to do this is not the two and Half billions pounds that the minister was talking about. We need billions and we need it now. Where does the money come from.

Stop HS2 and spend the money on the flood defences. This white elephant when complete. Only the very rich will be able to afford. Upgrade our existing railway system instead. Who wants to travel on a pair of rails going over 250 miles an hour.

Cut down the foreign aid budget to half.

This is where the money comes from. If the politicians in parliament had been affected by flooding to their houses, I know what they would be saying and proposing

Bob Whitehouse, Kingswinford