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York flooding: Fly-by minister finds a bridge over very troubled water
York flooding: Fly-by minister finds a bridge over very troubled water
(8 days later)
The historic town of York has never been afraid to see in the New Year with a drink or two, but the evening of 30 December could be the driest on record.
Liz Truss, the Environment Secretary, stood at the Foss Barrier in York, as she had done earlier at Tadcaster’s fallen bridge 18 miles away – cynics might suggest for the purposes of having her picture taken by her press officer – and then spoke to the television cameras, with the devastation of the floods as a backdrop.
Down by the water, The Lowther is usually open 7 nights a week until 2am, and even later on the last night of the year, but not on 30 December. The River Ouse came flooding in four days ago, and come the evening of New Year's Eve, they will still be pumping it out of pipes three feet above the entranceway. Next door, the King’s Arms is also closed for business, the only sign of life a thick hosepipe sticking out of the letterbox pouring water back in to the river that isn’t usually lapping against it.
David Cameron turned up two days ago, and residents are not short on tales of the complex series of road closures that were put in place seemingly to prevent anyone getting anywhere near him.
On the opposite side of the water, the Cock and Bottle had its doors open early, not to receive punters or deliveries, but a transit van full of maintenance men with pumps and hoses offering ‘DryFix’ services. The city is full of them. Every other vehicle on the road is a white van or a red fire truck.
At least Ms Truss had the decency to stand in front of a bridge that had been demolished, however, and a flood barrier that had been deliberately lowered, and declare that something must be done.
The desperation to return to normality is clear, but it will not be quick. The number 9 bus couldn't get down Skeldergate on the afternoon of 30 December. The water might be gone but in places the mud is thick. Down the side of the bus ran ran a familiar advert: "The Force Awakens." Don’t they know it.
The decision to lower the barrier, and flood whole roads of cars without telling their owners they might wish to move them, had been made by the Environment Agency while its chief executive was on holiday at his villa in Barbados. Sir Philip Dilley was back yesterday, with his agency claiming he would visit Yorkshire but refusing to say where exactly. He was not spotted in York. Just as well.
If there is such a thing as calm between the storms, you can feel it here. Whole metres of flood water have subsided but the talk on the streets and the TV is all of Storm Frank, which might yet come here, or it might not. The water is subsiding, but the clean up is slow to begin, for fear of what could be yet to come.
These floods, we are told, are unprecedented, but the people of York are no strangers to the rising river. For many here, what makes these floods unprecedented is the sense that some of the worst of the damage has been wrought not by nature, but as a result of man-made decisions.
At the bottom of Peckitt Street, the entranceway of The Riverside holiday apartments was still covered in sand bags, the carpet a sodden mess, but the windows and doors were left open, letting the air in, and hopefully, a little of the damp out, while the assembled fire and rescue workers in their station over the road strolled down to the flooded banks and planned the day ahead.
“Normally the floods round York are handled pretty well. We had floods here in 2000, and in 2012,” said Harry Cooke, an IT manager at a local law firm. He is in his early thirties, and has lived in York all his life. “This was exceptional because it was the River Foss as well as the Ouse.”
They’ve been called in from all over the area, from Darlington, Doncaster, Tyne and Wear and elsewhere.
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“We’ll be out on the water later, speaking to people who’ve chosen to remain in their homes,” said station manager Andy Blades. “If Frank hits it will take quite a while to make itself known in somewhere like York. If people become unwell, or if they change their minds and want to leave, we’ll be there for them.”
The opening of the Foss Barrier, the defences that usually keep York’s second river in check, caused several parts of the town that would otherwise have stayed dry to flood. It was by no means an indefensible decision. But the lack of the communication has angered many. “Nobody was told that decision had been taken,” said Mr Cooke. “Whole rows of cars ended up underwater, and if their owners had known they could have driven them away, and parked them elsewhere. People are extremely angry.”
These floods, we are continually told, are ‘unprecedented’, but the people of York are no strangers to the rising river. For many here, what makes these floods unprecedented is the sense that some of the worst of the damage has been wrought not by the awakening forces of nature, but manmade decisions.
A spokesman for the Environment Agency however maintained York residents were warned in advance.
“Normally the floods round York are handled pretty well. We had floods here in 2000, and in 2012,” said Harry Cooke, an IT manager at a local law firm. He is in his early thirties, and has lived in York all his life. “This was exceptional because it was the River Foss as well as The Ouse. Usually it’s all about the Ouse.”
Mr Cooke added: “These floods are not just about the rain. There are all sorts of things that contribute to this. Do we need more trees in wooded areas? Should we be dredging the rivers?
As is now well known, while the head of the Environment Agency was on holiday his villa in Barbados, his department made a decision that, faced with such high levels of water, it would have to open the Foss Barrier, the defences that usually keep York’s second river in check. It caused several parts of the town that would otherwise have stayed dry, to flood.
As is now well known, while the head of the Environment Agency was on holiday his villa in Barbados, his department made a decision that, faced with such high levels of water, it would have to open the Foss Barrier, the defences that usually keep York’s second river in check. It caused several parts of the town that would otherwise have stayed dry, to flood.
It was by no means an indefensible decision. Only a few weeks ago, Carlisle’s flood barriers were keeping the water in, not out, making the damage worse.
It was by no means an indefensible decision. Only a few weeks ago, Carlisle’s flood barriers were keeping the water in, not out, making the damage worse.
But the lack of the communication has angered many. “Nobody was told that that decision had been taken,” said Mr Cooke. “Whole rows of cars ended up underwater, and if their owners had known they could have driven them away, and parked them elsewhere. People are extremely angry.
“It’s not about just pointing the finger after the event, but somebody has to take responsibility. Is it York Council? The Environment Agency? Central government? Who is going to take responsibility? Who will say, ‘We will solve this problem?’”
“York bounces back quickly, and the people have been incredible, helping each other out, moving furniture. Near where we live, a team of people from the mosque turned up to help people move their things, and put sandbags out.
“There’s a strange mood around now, with the anticipation of this next storm rolling through. If it will hit? Where it will hit? We’ve been told to leave the sandbags up, but there’s no definitive answer of what is going to happen next.
“These floods are not just about the rain. There are all sorts of things that contribute to this. Do we need more trees in wooded areas? Should we be dredging the rivers? It’s not about just pointing the finger after the event, but somebody has to take responsibility. Is it York Council? The Environment Agency? Central Government? Who is going to take responsibility? Who will say, ‘We will solve this problem?’”
Liz Truss, the Environment Secretary, stood at the Foss Barrier on 30 December, as she had done earlier at Tadcaster’s fallen bridge eighteen miles away, primarily for the purposes of having her picture taken by a photographer from her own department, and then talking to the television cameras, the devastation a convenient backdrop. Cameron turned up two days ago, and local residents are not short on tales of the complex series of road closures that were put in place seemingly to prevent anyone getting anywhere near him.
York is a town steeped in history. In a few days, the water will subside, the DryFix men will set properly to work, and in time, things will return to normal. But it's possible that the high water mark of 2015 upon these ancient bridges will come to record the moment we accepted things have changed. That this is the new normality, that is anything but normal, and meaningful action must be taken, whatever the cost.
