Local MP Andrew Percy has welcomed over £3.5 million of Government funding over the next few years for local flood defences.

The funding will be spread across local projects. Funding allocations include £185k for Goole Riverside Flood Project, £3m for Rawcliffe Bridge Embankment repairs, £45k for Goole and Airmyn Internal Drainage Board and an indicative £74k for the Hook and Southfield Supplementary Alleviation Project. In North Lincolnshire there’s an indicative figure of £325k funding for Epworth Turbary and £250k for Haxey Turbary.

Andrew requested an update from the Environment Agency who have confirmed the Goole schemes will likely involve improvements to reduce the risk of surface water flooding. The Rawcliffe Bridge Embankment project will involve repairs to stretches of the River Don as well as investigations to see if further work is necessary.

Andrew Percy MP says, “Many people were affected by the Goole floods last year which were caused by surface water flooding. However, our area is also at risk from river flooding as evidenced in 2000.

That is why I’m pleased the Conservative-led Government is taking flooding seriously in our local area. The newly announced local funding for flood defences totals more than £3.5m between the various projects in the Goole, Rawcliffe Bridge and the Isle of Axholme over the next few years.

The funding for the River Don is to address the risk of seepage during high water levels and follows on from bore hole sampling of the River bank last year.  The Goole and Hook schemes are to address surface water drainage by improving land drainage.  However, the Environment Agency tell me that there is more work to be done yet before the funding is made available.”

East Riding Councillor, Caroline Fox adds, “John, Andrew and I have long campaigned for better flood defences and so this funding is very welcome. The money for Rawcliffe Bridge builds on studies commissioned after the floods of 2000 and should ensure local residents are better protected.

We will continue to push for improvements to our local flood defences and keep residents fully updated.”

Photo: Andrew Percy, Stuart Priestly (Chairman of the Rawcliffe Internal Drainage Board, Cllr Caroline Fox and Cllr John Barrett.