Frustration at river flood defence scheme progress

People living near the River Thames in Surrey have spoken of their frustration at the progress of a proposed plan to reduce the risk of flooding.

The River Thames Scheme aims to protect thousands of homes and businesses between Egham and Teddington by building new flood relief channels.

Last year, the Environment Agency (EA) and Surrey County Council, who are delivering it, announced a mid-project review had been commissioned.

A spokesperson for the EA said "significant progress" had been made and plans were being finalised to submit a Development Consent Order (DCO) application to ministers.

One resident, Simon Smith, told BBC Radio Surrey his family had to leave their Chertsey home in 2014 when floods hit the Thames.

About 600 were evacuated and hundreds of residents were rescued.

Smith said it was "stressful" when river levels rose, adding: "When [the River Thames Scheme] happens, I think it would be a complete life changer for us where we are.

"I know how at risk we are now and the route of that channel would make things very different for us.

"I've been following progress, and to see how little there's been is very frustrating."

He said there was "a real concern" the project review was contributing to delays.

Colin Bennett, whose home has also flooded in the past, said the current situation with the Thames was "ridiculous" and he "absolutely" thought more needed to be done to protect the area.

Another resident, Jeremy King, said flooding was "a constant worry and our house insurance reflects it".

He said the area had been lucky since 2014, adding: "It makes you wonder whether it's time for another nasty flood, in which case, it was a bit of a scramble back then and I don't think anything further is in place now as far as I know."

Residents said flood warnings and alerts over the last few days, plus high river levels after recent rain, had also been a concern.

In the Commons last Thursday, the MP for Spelthorne, Lincoln Jopp, urged the government to "knock some heads together" over the project review while Ben Spencer, the MP for Runnymede and Weybridge, tabled an urgent written question in Parliament about the planned timetable and the projected costs.

In a reply, Water Minster Emma Hardy said the cost of the development work up to this point had been £104m and that the EA was bringing forward an updated business case this summer, including a timetable to submit the DCO and an updated cost assessment.

Spencer said: "This project was due to be delivered by 2030 at a cost of £500m. It is clear both targets will be missed by a mile, with the costs, both financial and continued risk of flooding, borne by taxpayers and local residents.

"Ministers need to get a grip, prioritise progress and set out a clear plan and timescale for delivery."

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has been approached for comment.

A EA spokesperson said: "The Environment Agency and Surrey County Council have made significant progress in developing the River Thames Scheme.

"Completing the mid-project review was an important step to confirm the scheme is on track and is providing best value for money for the taxpayer.

"We are now finalising plans to move from the review to the next major milestone: submitting our Development Consent Order application."

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