Many people were stranded over night as our motorway and road network became impassable in places. I spent ten hours trying to get back from London in my car, eventually turning back when the umpteeth road was closed.
The Met Office warned last Wednesday of very heavy rain. It got that forecast right - with twice the monthly rainfall for July falling in 24 hours, in some places for the second time in a month.
I do not blame the government for the rain. But for all the warnings they have recieved, they have not given enough priority to flood defence. Environment Agency objections to planning applications for new housing on designated flood plains have been ignored (ten times last year alone). After five years of flatlining, spending on inland flood defence did increase from 2002, but last year it fell again by £70m. Environment Agency budgets for flood prevention planning were also cut by a further £15m last year to help plug holes in DEFRAs budget.
Public infrastructure is designed to withstand one in a 100 year extreme weather events. Other countries have higher standards. Having experienced two such events in one month it is time for a fundamental review of design standards for coping with such disasters.
Emergency relief planning and funding needs an overhaul, so that the country does not grind to a halt during conditions which other countries manage in their stride.
