Tide turns for Yorkshire beaches as every one passes quality tests

All 20 bathing areas met the required standard in testing carried out this summer and 16 reached the tougher European quality benchmark, up from 11 in 2012.

Last year, two beaches failed to meet the minimum standard altogether.

Yorkshire Water, councils, tourism agency Welcome to Yorkshire and the Environment agency have been working together to drive up standards in an initiative known as the Yorkshire Bathing Water Partnership.

Trevor Hardy, regional environmental planning manager at the Environment Agency, said: “This year’s results are great news for Yorkshire.

“We have some fabulous beaches here and these results will give residents and visitors real confidence that water quality is good and getting better.”

Last year’s heavy rainfall was thought to be a major factor behind the fall in bathing water standards and the drier summer in 2013 has helped water quality to improve.

Work has also gone into reducing discharges into bathing areas and run-off from agricultural land.

Welcome to Yorkshire chief executive Gary Verity said: “We’re delighted to see all Yorkshire’s 20 beaches have passed as it shows just what a great coastline we have for people living in Yorkshire and for those visiting from further afield but there’s no room for complacency.

Bridlington South, Reighton, Runswick Bay and Staithes were the four bathing areas which met the minimum standard.

Bridlington North, Cayton Bay, Danes Dyke Flamborough, Filey, Flamborough South Landing, Fraisthorpe, Hornsea, Robin Hoods Bay, Sandsend, Scarborough north and south bays, Skipsea, Tunstall, Whitby and Wilsthorpe met the higher criteria.