Tackling the tide

YORKSHIRE knows all too well of the dangers of flooding. Thedevastating deluge which hit this region in summer 2007 is the most high-profile example in recent memory but many people here remember what happened in 1953. It was then that a flood wreaked havoc on the coastlines of Britain, including the East Riding, and that is why the Environment Agency today has to prepare for the worst.

The Swinefleet flood alleviation scheme, which provides increased protection for the village, is part of this preventative action.

At a time of great financial strain on the public sector, preventing flooding remains a genuine priority. Anyone who has seen their town or village hit by a torrent of water knows that scrimping on flood

defences is the ultimate false economy.

An effective flood protection scheme for areas around the Humber

Estuary is vital. Homes, farmland, businesses, and communities would all be under threat if the river broke its banks and, while it seems impossible to give a guarantee that a flood will never occur, residents deserve the peace of mind from knowing that action has been taken.

The Humber Strategy, a 100-year plan for flood risk management, is central to this. Ensuring it is achieved is an ambitious task for the Environment Agency but its success is essential. The power of the tide may be a thing of wonder but it is also one of danger.