Vince Cable

MPs have been briefed in the House of Commons by the Environment Agency on the various options for managing future flood risk on the Thames from Walton Bridge to Teddington. The Agency is concerned to ensure that there is proper planning - and prevention - for major floods and has been considering radical options like diversion channels and reprofiling the river or more modest 'community based' schemes without large scale engineering works. It concludes that the 'community based' schemes and simple devises like flood boards are more appropriate in limited and local flood risk areas like Broom Water and Broom Road, Teddington, Trowlock Island, and parts of Hampton Wick.

Vincent Cable said: "Most of the major flood worries centre on areas further upstream like Chertsey and Staines. However, it seems quite clear that the government will not be able to find the money for large scale river flood defences. And if climate change evolves the way we are expecting the risk of serious floods will grow both from changed patterns of rainfall and storm surges which are more than the current Thames barrier can cope with. We do need to plan ahead".