Yorkshire getting more flood defence cash than other regions - Rebecca Pow

Along with completion of other defences, it means 2,000 homes are now better protected from some of the terrible flooding we have seen in the region previously, with more to follow as further work is completed in and around the city.

In July 2019, intense flash flooding hit the Yorkshire Dales and led to the collapse of Grinton Moor Bridge, between Reeth and Leyburn. Later the same year, a month’s worth of rain fell across South Yorkshire in 24 hours, leading to 1,500 properties along the River Don being flooded. Just earlier this year Storm Franklin brought heavy rainfall leading to flooding in Tadcaster when the River Wharfe burst its banks.

The names of storms like Ciara and Dennis in 2020 fade in the memories of many but are all too familiar to the people they affected – with around 5,000 properties flooded. It’s why we are taking action to level up this country and support this great region of the UK. It was in response to the devastating floods of Boxing Day 2015 when 627 properties flooded in York, that the Government committed £38m to upgrade the Foss Barrier, as well as £45m funding to provide better flood protection to properties along the Rivers Ouse and Foss in the city.

The barrier successfully protected the city including the floods of 1995, 2000, 2007 and 2012, but following these improvements it will be even better placed to protect the city and help it adapt to the impacts of climate change.

The upgrades include replacing the old gate, which was 8.5 metres wide and weighed approximately 16 tonnes, and the structure supporting the gate. The mechanical and electrical equipment needed to control the barrier was also replaced. In addition, improvement work at the pumping station started in spring 2016, and now this has finished the barrier is one of the most resilient flood defence assets in the country.

The scheme was part of the Environment Agency’s previous six-year programme of capital flood defence schemes, which saw £2.6bn invested in improving flood and coastal defences across the country. The programme exceeded its original targets – with over 314,000 homes better protected nationally by 2021 – and with Yorkshire and the Humber a major beneficiary with 83,000 homes better protected.

While I am delighted to see today’s improvements completed, my focus is on the significant ongoing investment in flood schemes across Yorkshire, with over £500m invested across the region since 2015.

We know that there is more to do. In York, there are 18 areas of work across the city where flood defences are being constructed, including installing property level flood protection such as flood doors, temporary barriers, pumps and valves, which reduce the chance of flood water getting into a property.

And in Hull, I was delighted to officially open the £42m Humber frontages flood defence scheme earlier this year.

This upgrades the tidal flood defences along the estuary shoreline of the city. And like so many of our flood defences in Hull this work brings much more than flood prevention; it should generate additional confidence to businesses to come to the area, provide greater economic prosperity and job security in the area with the sensitive design of the defences helping tourism flourish.

Across England, we have committed to doubling our investment in flood defences to £5.2bn in the 2021-2027 spending period. We have already announced the first tranche of schemes to benefit from this funding – with Yorkshire again receiving more money than any other region.

We have allocated over £146m to 150 flood schemes across the four counties in Yorkshire between 2021 to 2022, including £4.4m to the development of a scheme in Hebden Bridge that will provide greater protection to around 400 properties.

But I want to go further because it is vital those areas that have experienced repeated flooding in recent years are given the appropriate protection. That is why we are looking at how better protection for frequently flooded communities can be achieved, and I will be saying more on this shortly.

- Rebecca Pow is Floods Minister and Conservative MP for Taunton Deane.