Co-ordinated Approach to Flood Defence

12.00.00am GMT Wed 19th Feb 2003

An All Party Group has been formed of MPs along the Thames Valley from Henley to Teddington to provide a more co-ordinated approach to flood risks.

Vincent Cable will be an office bearer of the group which will work closely with the action group ThamesAwash (www.ThamesAwash.co.uk).

This follows the recent exceptional floods which have caused considerable damage and reflects frustration with the poor response of the Environment Agency.

In the borough the main affected area is Trowlock Island above Teddington Lock above Teddington Lock but much of it depends on the Thames Barrier to avoid serious flooding.

Vincent Cable said: "although only a few residents have been directly affected by flooding this year there is a flood threat and the Environment Agency regards all low lying property close to the river, above Teddington Lock, as being at risk."

"The kind of issue which require attention is the careless use of flood plains for development, which then exposes the river as a whole to higher flood risk".