Everthing South Of Exeter

[patricktaylor]

... The politicians need to blame anybody or anything other than themselves.

They would be better finding out the real cause of these problems and coming up with proper solutions. Fat chance of this happening with this lot.

It was probably the lot before who dunnit, or didn't. The point I was trying to make upthread is that compared to (say) the security services who make themselves aware of all kinds of potential threats, the government and the Environment Agency (one or the other or both), and Network Rail in the case of the collapsing/flooding railway tracks, don't seem to have done their homework. That, or they have the wrong priorities. An increase in rainfall was foreseeable at least a decade ago. The 2008 financial crash was also foreseen but nothing was done. These are big issues affecting large numbers of people.

Politicians care only about the next election so perhaps this thing is everyone's fault.

[Graham]

Pickles is doing what Pickles does. Ignore the evidence and blame someone else.
http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-somerset-flooding/

w.r.t. the Somerset Levels this is well worth a read and contrasts greatly with the knee-jerk reaction of some of the politicians. i.e. get the dredging started a.s.a.p.

I'm wondering whether it would be more cost-effective in the long run to compensate inhabitants of the flood-prone areas of the Levels such that they can purchase property elsewhere ( on dry land ).
Alternatively, to spend the compensation money to raise their existing dwelling up on stilts - like this one . . . . .
http://www.gloucestercitizen.co.uk/Glou ... story.html

It would be a straight choice : one or the other or no compo at all.
[ Can you think of other alternatives ?? ]

Meanwhile, a more considered, long-term view of flood mitigation could be implemented - with a realistic cost-benefit analysis.
Money cost, social cost, environmental cost .

There is no guarantee that the weather events are not going to get even worse in future. Nobody knows for sure !!

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Stilts , a very practical solution.

If when all the flooded homes get dry the insurance companys specify all solid floors with water proofing up to the first floor etc, etc.

There would be little pay out next time.............................

One person interviewed when the floods started said that they have a plan, they put all valuble stuff upstairs move car etc, etc.

Why are we still seeing cars outside flooded homes submerged up to the windows with water
Would'nt you move yours and walk home, even take your bike and cycle back home

[Psamathe]

Pickles is doing what Pickles does. Ignore the evidence and blame someone else.
http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-somerset-flooding/

w.r.t. the Somerset Levels this is well worth a read and contrasts greatly with the knee-jerk reaction of some of the politicians. i.e. get the dredging started a.s.a.p.
...
There is no guarantee that the weather events are not going to get even worse in future. Nobody knows for sure !!

Politicians need to have something people can see. So come the water levels dropping, locals will see dredgers in the rivers, see lorries carrying silt away and will be happy (until the next flood which those who actually understand this stuff say will not be stopped by dredging). Politicians cannot propose the more sensible path of water course management because people will not see "action" and will not realise that the necessary things are being done. Dredging gear can be brought in, a convoy lead by some politician wanting to claim "the credit" (until the next rains).

And it is a true tragedy for those suffering this flooding, just as it is for those who have lost their houses on the East Anglian Coast (where they have been abandoned by government protection).

Ian

[Mick F]

I found this site whilst Googling this morning.
http://www.cornwallrailwaysociety.org.u ... mpton.html
Also been reading other stuff too.
I would appear that the Bere Alston to Okehampton link closed to rail traffic as late as 1970 and had nothing to to do with Beeching. Passenger services stopped in 1968, but freight carried on.

That is why the railbed and all the viaducts and infrastructure are still in place.

[Psamathe]

Interesting response from Chris Smith (at last)

Last year, after the 2012 floods, we recognised the local view that taking silt out of the two main rivers would help to carry water away faster after a flood.
The Environment Agency put £400,000 on the table to help with that work – the maximum amount the Treasury rules allowed us to do.

Full article http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/feb/09/uk-floods-political-blame-game-severe-weather-warnings

Ian

[Geriatrix]

The Met Office has given it's verdict:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26084625
Of course the problem is the Met Office assessment contains that awkward word "evidence", so it will be ignored.

But it doesn't say what the evidence is.

Not in the press release no, but scientists are inclined to conservative assessments. This report shows a typical assessment of the 2007 floods:
http://www.ceh.ac.uk/news/news_archive/2008_news_item_05.html
How many of these exceptional singular events can we have before they are neither singular nor exceptional?

[mrjemm]

The chonkin' chef's nasty old Dad has been quiet lately. Has his denialist's support group died a death after even Camerwrong suggested such weather's down to CC?

[Geriatrix]

The chonkin' chef's nasty old Dad has been quiet lately. Has his denialist's support group died a death after even Camerwrong suggested such weather's down to CC?

His son is a hack for the DM. One wonders what the debates at family get togethers are like.

[Ben@Forest]

Hi,
Why are we still seeing cars outside flooded homes submerged up to the windows with water
Would'nt you move yours and walk home, even take your bike and cycle back home

I'm not sure this is a practical solution, a countryside resident (such as me) could easily be more than two miles from higher ground. In my case it's closer to five and that would mean abandoning the car at the side of a main road (along with all the other cars of local residents) and the nearest place with proper facilities is 8 miles away but which would mean an entire town centre used as a car park 24/7.

It's same issue with suggestions that all houses are on 'stilts'. At times of no flood the ground floor area could be used as a garage but apart from the problem as described above for residents what are you going to do for the farmer who also owns two tractors, a muck spreader, a telehandler, a silage wrapper, a livestock trailer...

[Psamathe]

http://newsthump.com/2014/02/10/flooding-now-important-as-river-into-london-seriously-affected/

[Mick F]

Yes, now that the affluent Surrey residents are affected, something might get done?

Also, read this:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26110559

[honesty]

I'd like to feel a sense of smugness about guessing the right line, but I find this sentence most telling "There is no timescale for the plan, which Network Rail concluded in outline proposals last year would cost hundreds of millions of pounds." Its not going to happen. They will say they had a consultation and then quietly drop it in a few years. Now if they were going to scrap HS2 and plough that money back into the infrastructure I could see something like this happening, but thats not likely!

[661-Pete]

Yes, now that the affluent Surrey residents are affected, something might get done?

That may be a factor, but I'd be cautious about making a political point out of these dreadful events, however frustrated people in your area may feel.

As it happens, I lived in Surrey as a child and in my teens, albeit the less 'affluent' end of the county - and we've "been there" before. I.e.: I well remember severe floods that hit the area in September 1968, and our town, Redhill, was one of those badly hit. Our own house wasn't affected: we lived on higher ground; but the town was cut off - I remember that my uncle had suffered a heart attack and been taken to hospital two days previously, and his family were panicking because they couldn't even get to the hospital to see him (eventually they did get through). One person we knew was flooded out: it was a bad time for her although eventually the insurance paid up.

I think I understand a little, of what hell those affected - wherever they may live - must be going through.

[thirdcrank]

Yes, now that the affluent Surrey residents are affected, something might get done? ....

I see that Action Man Cameron himself has now given a photo opportunity wearing a flo yellow jacket and safety helmet. Perhaps he's going to do a bit of bailing.