'Knock heads together' to sort flood defences - MP

The MP for Spelthorne has urged the government to "knock some heads together" over delays to the River Thames flood defence scheme.

The scheme, costing hundreds of millions of pounds, involves building new relief channels alongside the river to reduce the risk of flooding between Egham in Surrey and Teddington in London.

Conservative Lincoln Jopp raised the issue in the Commons on Thursday in light of a recent spate of weather warnings across the county.

"Will the Secretary of State please get both the Environment Agency (EA) and Surrey County Council (SCC) to say something about what is happening?" he asked.

The scheme - which is being delivered by the EA and SCC - aims to reduce the risk of flooding for 11,000 homes and 1,600 businesses in Surrey and London.

Both EA and SCC have been approached for comment.

Jopp added that progress had been "in abeyance - essentially, in mid-project review - since May last year" and that a status update should be provided.

Minister for Water and Flooding Emma Hardy told Jopp she would be "glad to meet with him to discuss the more substantive and serious issue that he raises".

In December, new analysis found that thousands of flood defences meant to protect multiple homes or businesses in England were below the required condition when winter began.

Exclusive figures obtained by the BBC showed that, as of 20 October, almost 9% of the 98,000 defences inspected by the EA were below that condition.

A fifth of all the defences along the Thames corridor, which passes through parts of Surrey, were also failing to meet the required condition due to a mix of record rainfall and tidal storm surges.

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