Vince Cable

Hundreds of local people who suffered flooding in the recent downpours - including sewage flooding - are, according to Vincent Cable, MP, being "badly let down" by "confusion and lack of co-ordination" amongst the bodies responsible.

He meets the Environment Agency this week and is seeking an urgent meeting with Thames Water who he says have primary responsibility:

"It appears that the problems date back 20 years to the privatisation of water. Prior to that time, Thames Water were required to employ the local council as agents to keep the drainage system clear. Subsequently they were free to drop the arrangement and did so. As a result, the standard of maintenance has fallen".

"I have, in the last dew weeks, asked Thames Water to investigate a whole series of bad flooding episodes including the streets off Stanley Road, Teddington, parts of Hampton Hill, and parts of Twickenham like Lincoln Avenue and Fulwell Park Avenue. In each case the residents were frustrated by the unwillingness of any agency to take responsibility. One man was told that if his house was flooded with sewage three times a year Thames Water would install a value in his trains to stop overflow but once a year was not enough! I am trying, with the council, to get Thames Water round a table to talk about their responsibilities. I am meeting also the Environment Agency which is responsible for river flooding but often isn't informed about worse flooding due to drain blockages".