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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/environment/live/2015/dec/08/storm-desmond-west-coast-main-line-to-reopen-after-floods-live-updates
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| Storm Desmond: Thousands of households and businesses to get tax relief – as it happened | Storm Desmond: Thousands of households and businesses to get tax relief – as it happened |
| (30 days later) | |
| 6.00pm GMT | 6.00pm GMT |
| 18:00 | 18:00 |
| Closing summary | Closing summary |
| We are closing this live blog, here are the main points. | We are closing this live blog, here are the main points. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 7.08pm GMT | at 7.08pm GMT |
| 5.47pm GMT | 5.47pm GMT |
| 17:47 | 17:47 |
| Silver lining to the storm. Helen Pidd reported on a wedding party in Ullswater that lasted three days after the bride, groom and guests were cut off by storm damage. Here are some photos of the couple, Sam and Sam Thompson, from a memorable wedding. | Silver lining to the storm. Helen Pidd reported on a wedding party in Ullswater that lasted three days after the bride, groom and guests were cut off by storm damage. Here are some photos of the couple, Sam and Sam Thompson, from a memorable wedding. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.23pm GMT | at 6.23pm GMT |
| 5.28pm GMT | 5.28pm GMT |
| 17:28 | 17:28 |
| Labour has called for a new national climate risk assessment following the damage unleashed by Storm Desmond. | Labour has called for a new national climate risk assessment following the damage unleashed by Storm Desmond. |
| “The severe flooding across the north-west follows the sort of intense wet weather that once could have been seen as a rare unfortunate freak event. As the third such catastrophe to hit Cumbria in the past decade, we should instead view it as consistent with the climate change projections of our country’s top scientists,” said Kerry McCarthy, the shadow environment secretary. | “The severe flooding across the north-west follows the sort of intense wet weather that once could have been seen as a rare unfortunate freak event. As the third such catastrophe to hit Cumbria in the past decade, we should instead view it as consistent with the climate change projections of our country’s top scientists,” said Kerry McCarthy, the shadow environment secretary. |
| Lisa Nandy, the shadow energy and climate change secretary, added: “After the Paris summit, ministers should launch a thorough new national climate risk assessment to help us understand what the outcome from the talks means for the increased risks to our national security from flooding. This would help us to better prepare for the worsening risks we face in the years ahead.” | Lisa Nandy, the shadow energy and climate change secretary, added: “After the Paris summit, ministers should launch a thorough new national climate risk assessment to help us understand what the outcome from the talks means for the increased risks to our national security from flooding. This would help us to better prepare for the worsening risks we face in the years ahead.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.23pm GMT | at 6.23pm GMT |
| 5.21pm GMT | 5.21pm GMT |
| 17:21 | 17:21 |
| The job of working out who will qualify for council tax and business rate relief and how long the waiver will last will be the responsibility of the Department for Communities and Local Government, run by Greg Clark. No estimate of the overall cost of the move was immediately available. Cumbria police said its estimated worst-case scenario was that as many as 6,425 homes were flooded in Cumbria. The Environment Agency had previously put the figure at about 5,200. | The job of working out who will qualify for council tax and business rate relief and how long the waiver will last will be the responsibility of the Department for Communities and Local Government, run by Greg Clark. No estimate of the overall cost of the move was immediately available. Cumbria police said its estimated worst-case scenario was that as many as 6,425 homes were flooded in Cumbria. The Environment Agency had previously put the figure at about 5,200. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.21pm GMT | at 6.21pm GMT |
| 5.13pm GMT | 5.13pm GMT |
| 17:13 | 17:13 |
| Fred Searle has talked to train passengers travelling between Glasgow and Lancaster in mostly empty carriages. He writes: | Fred Searle has talked to train passengers travelling between Glasgow and Lancaster in mostly empty carriages. He writes: |
| One service between Glasgow and Wigan, which normally takes two and a half hours, has taken more than four hours. Natalie Anderson, who is still on her way home to Wigan from Scotland, said: “It’s empty! I was actually really surprised at how quiet the train was, but because of the information on the Virgin website, I’m not surprised.” | One service between Glasgow and Wigan, which normally takes two and a half hours, has taken more than four hours. Natalie Anderson, who is still on her way home to Wigan from Scotland, said: “It’s empty! I was actually really surprised at how quiet the train was, but because of the information on the Virgin website, I’m not surprised.” |
| Earlier in the day Virgin Trains reported “extended journey times and the odd cancellation” and trains have been travelling at just 20mph in certain stretches. | Earlier in the day Virgin Trains reported “extended journey times and the odd cancellation” and trains have been travelling at just 20mph in certain stretches. |
| Anderson. 28, added: “I was the only person in my carriage up until Lancaster. I walked up the carriages and they were empty.” | Anderson. 28, added: “I was the only person in my carriage up until Lancaster. I walked up the carriages and they were empty.” |
| She has now been on the train for more than four hours after long delays outside Carlisle and hold-ups in Preston. | She has now been on the train for more than four hours after long delays outside Carlisle and hold-ups in Preston. |
| “It was snail speed until we were at Carlisle,” she said. “There was only one train allowed through at a time and that was northbound and southbound so we were just stuck miles outside of Carlisle. There were loads of people working on the tracks, you could see them at the sides. All the signals were down so it was just manual signals.” | “It was snail speed until we were at Carlisle,” she said. “There was only one train allowed through at a time and that was northbound and southbound so we were just stuck miles outside of Carlisle. There were loads of people working on the tracks, you could see them at the sides. All the signals were down so it was just manual signals.” |
| She added: “You can see from the train that the floods are still really bad. There were cars abandoned that have obviously been underwater. The football pitch in Carlisle is completely flooded ... there are just fields of water, but you can see the motorway from the train and that’s running fine.” | She added: “You can see from the train that the floods are still really bad. There were cars abandoned that have obviously been underwater. The football pitch in Carlisle is completely flooded ... there are just fields of water, but you can see the motorway from the train and that’s running fine.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 6.20pm GMT | at 6.20pm GMT |
| 4.51pm GMT | 4.51pm GMT |
| 16:51 | 16:51 |
| The Prince’s Countryside Fund, founded by Prince Charles, is releasing £40,000 from its emergency fund to support rural communities, farmers and businesses affected by floods. Of that, £30,000 will go to the Farming Help charities to assist farmers and rural communities and provide immediate financial assistance. The Cumbria Community Foundation, which works with voluntary groups, will receive £10,000 to provide initial hardship grants of £500 to individuals. | The Prince’s Countryside Fund, founded by Prince Charles, is releasing £40,000 from its emergency fund to support rural communities, farmers and businesses affected by floods. Of that, £30,000 will go to the Farming Help charities to assist farmers and rural communities and provide immediate financial assistance. The Cumbria Community Foundation, which works with voluntary groups, will receive £10,000 to provide initial hardship grants of £500 to individuals. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.03pm GMT | at 5.03pm GMT |
| 4.47pm GMT | 4.47pm GMT |
| 16:47 | 16:47 |
| James Meikle | James Meikle |
| The Environment Agency says the water level of the Tyne at Bywell reached its highest level in 61 years – over 6.9 metres. It adds that flood levels were second in some areas only to the great Tyne flood of 1771, which destroyed the Tyne bridge. | The Environment Agency says the water level of the Tyne at Bywell reached its highest level in 61 years – over 6.9 metres. It adds that flood levels were second in some areas only to the great Tyne flood of 1771, which destroyed the Tyne bridge. |
| It looks like flood levels on the Tyne this weekend was second in some areas only to the Great Tyne Flood of 1771 https://t.co/S3oSXksLgE | It looks like flood levels on the Tyne this weekend was second in some areas only to the Great Tyne Flood of 1771 https://t.co/S3oSXksLgE |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.55pm GMT | at 4.55pm GMT |
| 4.27pm GMT | 4.27pm GMT |
| 16:27 | 16:27 |
| Thousands of households and businesses to get tax relief | Thousands of households and businesses to get tax relief |
| An estimated 5,000 households and businesses forced out of their properties by flooding in Cumbria and Lancashire are to be given relief from council tax and business rates, the government’s Cobra emergency committee has agreed. | An estimated 5,000 households and businesses forced out of their properties by flooding in Cumbria and Lancashire are to be given relief from council tax and business rates, the government’s Cobra emergency committee has agreed. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.30pm GMT | at 4.30pm GMT |
| 4.24pm GMT | 4.24pm GMT |
| 16:24 | 16:24 |
| Josh Halliday | Josh Halliday |
| Josh Halliday has caught up with a diehard Carlisle fan who made sure she saved her precious season tickets. Here is an extract. | Josh Halliday has caught up with a diehard Carlisle fan who made sure she saved her precious season tickets. Here is an extract. |
| Some flood victims rescued family photographs. Others saved their pets. But when Angela Watson saw the floodwater outside her house rising rapidly, there was only one item worth salvaging first – her precious Carlisle United season tickets. | Some flood victims rescued family photographs. Others saved their pets. But when Angela Watson saw the floodwater outside her house rising rapidly, there was only one item worth salvaging first – her precious Carlisle United season tickets. |
| “When we realised the water was rising I grabbed the computer and modem, then I thought ‘Oh, desk – season tickets!’ so I grabbed them, took them upstairs and then an hour later the water was literally 4ft 5in – I measured it by a mark on the wall,” she said on the doorstep of her flooded home on Warwick Road in Carlisle on Tuesday. | “When we realised the water was rising I grabbed the computer and modem, then I thought ‘Oh, desk – season tickets!’ so I grabbed them, took them upstairs and then an hour later the water was literally 4ft 5in – I measured it by a mark on the wall,” she said on the doorstep of her flooded home on Warwick Road in Carlisle on Tuesday. |
| It was only later Watson realised she had left her handbag, along with her husband’s wallet and medication downstairs. “All those sort of things I never thought about – I just thought about Carlisle United.” | It was only later Watson realised she had left her handbag, along with her husband’s wallet and medication downstairs. “All those sort of things I never thought about – I just thought about Carlisle United.” |
| The 67-year-old, who has followed the club since her grandfather took her to her first game when she was five, lives opposite Carlisle United’s partially submerged Brunton Park stadium, where the pitch remains submerged under flood water. | The 67-year-old, who has followed the club since her grandfather took her to her first game when she was five, lives opposite Carlisle United’s partially submerged Brunton Park stadium, where the pitch remains submerged under flood water. |
| Fifteen of the club’s players swapped their football boots for wellies and industrial cleaning masks on Tuesday as they helped clear some of the homes worst affected by Storm Desmond. “It doesn’t matter if they didn’t do anything, just come and chat to people. That’s all that matters,” said Watson’s husband, Wilson Watson, 73. | Fifteen of the club’s players swapped their football boots for wellies and industrial cleaning masks on Tuesday as they helped clear some of the homes worst affected by Storm Desmond. “It doesn’t matter if they didn’t do anything, just come and chat to people. That’s all that matters,” said Watson’s husband, Wilson Watson, 73. |
| Carlisle rugby club pitch next door to Brunton Park #StormDesmond pic.twitter.com/AQm3JECshy | Carlisle rugby club pitch next door to Brunton Park #StormDesmond pic.twitter.com/AQm3JECshy |
| Carlisle United players with Angela Watson, whose season ticket was first thing she saved from flooded home pic.twitter.com/4QkXQVLELN | Carlisle United players with Angela Watson, whose season ticket was first thing she saved from flooded home pic.twitter.com/4QkXQVLELN |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.58pm GMT | at 4.58pm GMT |
| 4.13pm GMT | 4.13pm GMT |
| 16:13 | 16:13 |
| More criticism of Liz Truss, the environment secretary. This time from Professor Gail Whiteman of Lancaster University, who is attending the climate talks in Paris. | More criticism of Liz Truss, the environment secretary. This time from Professor Gail Whiteman of Lancaster University, who is attending the climate talks in Paris. |
| Liz Truss’s comment about how the flood defences in Cumbria were only breached because of extreme weather conditions is rather short-sighted. Thanks to climate change, extreme weather is the new normal. And that is hugely problematic. The Cumbria floods are a personal reality check here in Paris, everyone is talking about it and Al Gore specifically mentioned the floods in Cumbria and Chennai in his speech. Mr Gore was speaking to over 600 executives at the Council Member meeting of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. | Liz Truss’s comment about how the flood defences in Cumbria were only breached because of extreme weather conditions is rather short-sighted. Thanks to climate change, extreme weather is the new normal. And that is hugely problematic. The Cumbria floods are a personal reality check here in Paris, everyone is talking about it and Al Gore specifically mentioned the floods in Cumbria and Chennai in his speech. Mr Gore was speaking to over 600 executives at the Council Member meeting of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. |
| Unless serious commitments are made here in Paris, extreme weather will increase with global warming and thus climate adaptation measures, like flood defences, need to constantly be updated. What may be appear to be sufficient to withstand a 1/100 year event can become quickly out of date as the incidence of extreme weather ramps up and becomes more unpredictable. | Unless serious commitments are made here in Paris, extreme weather will increase with global warming and thus climate adaptation measures, like flood defences, need to constantly be updated. What may be appear to be sufficient to withstand a 1/100 year event can become quickly out of date as the incidence of extreme weather ramps up and becomes more unpredictable. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 4.58pm GMT | at 4.58pm GMT |
| 4.07pm GMT | 4.07pm GMT |
| 16:07 | 16:07 |
| Helen Pidd | Helen Pidd |
| One community on Ullswater in Cumbria is still totally cut off by road and can be reached only by quad bike or special boat, writes Helen Pidd. | One community on Ullswater in Cumbria is still totally cut off by road and can be reached only by quad bike or special boat, writes Helen Pidd. |
| Howtown and Martindale, on the eastern shores of the lake, are inaccessible by car or even 4x4 after the Pooley bridge collapsed on Sunday. A “major landslide” had also blocked the Howtown access road, according to Paul Calland, deputy station manager at Bay Search and Rescue. | Howtown and Martindale, on the eastern shores of the lake, are inaccessible by car or even 4x4 after the Pooley bridge collapsed on Sunday. A “major landslide” had also blocked the Howtown access road, according to Paul Calland, deputy station manager at Bay Search and Rescue. |
| On Monday night Bay Search and Rescue used a Miami Vice-style flat-bottomed airboat - the kind seen in the Everglades in Florida - to land water engineers on the lake shore at Howtown. | On Monday night Bay Search and Rescue used a Miami Vice-style flat-bottomed airboat - the kind seen in the Everglades in Florida - to land water engineers on the lake shore at Howtown. |
| Paul Hodgson, United Utilities’ Service Delivery Manager for North Lakes, said its engineers hitched a ride on the boat in order to fix a water pump at Martindale. | Paul Hodgson, United Utilities’ Service Delivery Manager for North Lakes, said its engineers hitched a ride on the boat in order to fix a water pump at Martindale. |
| “There was no way we could have made the journey without the help of Bay Search and Rescue. The boat was launched from a flooded road at Sharrow Bay, and took our team along the edge of Ullswater in near darkness. We landed at Howtown and a local hotelier arrived with his four by four to take us on the final leg of the journey. | “There was no way we could have made the journey without the help of Bay Search and Rescue. The boat was launched from a flooded road at Sharrow Bay, and took our team along the edge of Ullswater in near darkness. We landed at Howtown and a local hotelier arrived with his four by four to take us on the final leg of the journey. |
| “When we arrived at the pumping station, the electricity had just been restored, and it proved to be relatively straightforward to get the pumps back up and running, and tap water flowing again to the nearby community. | “When we arrived at the pumping station, the electricity had just been restored, and it proved to be relatively straightforward to get the pumps back up and running, and tap water flowing again to the nearby community. |
| Gary Parsons, commanding officer for Bay Search and Rescue, piloted the boat. He trained with US Coastguards to master the specialist vessel. | Gary Parsons, commanding officer for Bay Search and Rescue, piloted the boat. He trained with US Coastguards to master the specialist vessel. |
| “The boat is very well suited for flood rescue, as it can travel across flooded land, as well as open water. We’re delighted we could help the team from United Utilities get to the pumps, and restore supplies to the community.” | “The boat is very well suited for flood rescue, as it can travel across flooded land, as well as open water. We’re delighted we could help the team from United Utilities get to the pumps, and restore supplies to the community.” |
| With the road blocked, volunteers from Patterdale Mountain rescue on the other side of the lake have managed to reach Martindale on quad bikes over the hill tops, according to Calland. In Howtown, the luxury lakeside hotel Sharrow Bay has closed, but is offering free tea and coffee to rescuers. | With the road blocked, volunteers from Patterdale Mountain rescue on the other side of the lake have managed to reach Martindale on quad bikes over the hill tops, according to Calland. In Howtown, the luxury lakeside hotel Sharrow Bay has closed, but is offering free tea and coffee to rescuers. |
| We are closed but a few of us remain on site, free tea & coffee for any emergency services & rescuers on Ullswater. @BaySARteam @BaySAR22 | We are closed but a few of us remain on site, free tea & coffee for any emergency services & rescuers on Ullswater. @BaySARteam @BaySAR22 |