Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to provide additional resources to the Environment Agency to support works to restore full navigation under Temple Footbridge in Hurley.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) will continue to invest in its Navigation infrastructure. Once the indicative costs of completing the Temple Footbridge project is known, the amount of additional grant in aid available to the EA for this project will be calculated.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of sewage discharges on (a) recreational swimming and (b) public access to (i) rivers and (ii) lakes in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are currently no bathing waters designated by Defra in the Surrey Heath constituency. The Environment Agency undertakes regular monitoring of the water quality in Surrey Heath constituency; the assessment and proposed actions are set out in The Thames River Basin Management Plan. Impacts from wastewater pollution are highlighted as a key pressure resulting in many waterbodies not currently achieving good ecological status.
There have been significant pollution incidents at Camberley and Chobham Sewage Treatment Works in the last few years, and these are subject to ongoing Environment Agency investigations. The Environment Agency is currently transforming its regulatory approach including developing a larger specialised workforce and delivering a step change in inspections of Thames Water's permitted sites and associated enforcement.
Water company investment of over £10 billion will improve over 2,500 storm overflows, targeted at those affecting the most sensitive sites for ecological and human health. Protected Sites Strategies will also help improve biodiversity in our coastal areas.
Where a water body has been officially designated as a bathing water the Environment Agency will carry out regular testing of the water quality at each site, as well as inspecting for the presence of a range of pollutants. Information about water quality at each site is published online via the Swimfo service.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to improve real time monitoring of water quality in (a) rivers and (b) lakes to support safe access for swimmers in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are currently no bathing waters designated by Defra in the Surrey Heath constituency. The Environment Agency undertakes regular monitoring of the water quality in Surrey Heath constituency; the assessment and proposed actions are set out in The Thames River Basin Management Plan. Impacts from wastewater pollution are highlighted as a key pressure resulting in many waterbodies not currently achieving good ecological status.
There have been significant pollution incidents at Camberley and Chobham Sewage Treatment Works in the last few years, and these are subject to ongoing Environment Agency investigations. The Environment Agency is currently transforming its regulatory approach including developing a larger specialised workforce and delivering a step change in inspections of Thames Water's permitted sites and associated enforcement.
Water company investment of over £10 billion will improve over 2,500 storm overflows, targeted at those affecting the most sensitive sites for ecological and human health. Protected Sites Strategies will also help improve biodiversity in our coastal areas.
Where a water body has been officially designated as a bathing water the Environment Agency will carry out regular testing of the water quality at each site, as well as inspecting for the presence of a range of pollutants. Information about water quality at each site is published online via the Swimfo service.
Asked by: Al Pinkerton (Liberal Democrat - Surrey Heath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce sewage discharges and (b) prevent blue-green algae blooms in designated swimming areas in Surrey Heath constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There are currently no bathing waters designated by Defra in the Surrey Heath constituency. The Environment Agency undertakes regular monitoring of the water quality in Surrey Heath constituency; the assessment and proposed actions are set out in The Thames River Basin Management Plan. Impacts from wastewater pollution are highlighted as a key pressure resulting in many waterbodies not currently achieving good ecological status.
There have been significant pollution incidents at Camberley and Chobham Sewage Treatment Works in the last few years, and these are subject to ongoing Environment Agency investigations. The Environment Agency is currently transforming its regulatory approach including developing a larger specialised workforce and delivering a step change in inspections of Thames Water's permitted sites and associated enforcement.
Water company investment of over £10 billion will improve over 2,500 storm overflows, targeted at those affecting the most sensitive sites for ecological and human health. Protected Sites Strategies will also help improve biodiversity in our coastal areas.
Where a water body has been officially designated as a bathing water the Environment Agency will carry out regular testing of the water quality at each site, as well as inspecting for the presence of a range of pollutants. Information about water quality at each site is published online via the Swimfo service.
Asked by: Jack Rankin (Conservative - Windsor)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to repair and restore footbridges along the Jubilee River; and what estimate she has made of the associated cost to the taxpayer.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Jubilee River is part of the Maidenhead, Windsor and Eaton Flood Alleviation Scheme which is operated and maintained by the Environment Agency. Footbridges along the Jubilee River are the responsibility of the respective local authorities including Buckinghamshire Council, Slough Council and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. The Environment Agency works closely with these councils; however, questions relating to plans to repair and restore these footbridges should be directed to the respective local authority, not the Environment Agency.
Asked by: Lincoln Jopp (Conservative - Spelthorne)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made on the River Thames Scheme.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The River Thames Scheme is a proposed flood risk management project being developed by the Environment Agency and Surrey County Council. It is a landscape-based project designed to reduce flood risk to over 11,000 homes and businesses, while also creating new green open spaces and sustainable travel routes.
The River Thames Scheme is currently in mid project review. This review is to ensure that the scheme remains efficient, cost-effective and aligned with long-term goals; and to ensure the project delivers flood risk benefits in a robust and sustainable manner.
Asked by: Peter Fortune (Conservative - Bromley and Biggin Hill)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her policy is on investment in the Dartford Crossing.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Dartford Crossing is one of the most important roads in the UK, used by an average of 150,000 vehicles daily, of which almost 40% are freight vehicles: a much higher proportion than for other major roads. Consequently, significant annual expenditure (£42.2million in 2023/24) goes on operating, maintaining and improving the Crossing, particularly in relation to the older tunnels, which require increasingly intensive maintenance to, for example, the ventilation, electrical and drainage systems.
Additional capacity across the River Thames east of London will be provided by the Lower Thames Crossing, complementing the Dartford Crossing which will remain an essential part of the London Orbital road.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if his Department will take steps to help ensure that staffing levels of lock keepers and river infrastructure on the non‑tidal River Thames are sufficient to guarantee public and operator safety.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ensuring public and operator safety on the non-tidal River Thames is a priority for the Environment Agency (EA). The EA is investing in additional lock and weir resource.
Asked by: Freddie van Mierlo (Liberal Democrat - Henley and Thame)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he has made an assessment of the adequacy of the diversions on the Thames path due to the closure of (a) Marsh Lock bridge and (b) Temple Footbridge.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We recognise the importance of National Trails as crucial connectors, not only for visitors keen to complete the trails, but as valued community pathways supporting local businesses and residents.
We understand that the Thames Path National Trail Partnership are continuing to work with the Environment Agency, landowners and other partners to progress work at both locations to support the accessibility and safety of the trail.
Thames Path diversions are managed by the organisation responsible for the asset that has created the need for the diversion. Although the ownership for Marsh Lock Bridge is unclear, the Environment Agency led the diversion work relating to Marsh Lock Bridge and Temple Footbridge for which they are responsible. The Environment Agency sought advice from the Local Authority on the safest route available to the public using other existing highways and once agreed, the Local Authority issue a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order which authorises the diversion. Alternative viable diversion routes will be considered by the Environment Agency and the relevant Local Authority if they become available for use.
Asked by: Yuan Yang (Labour - Earley and Woodley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of (a) trends in levels of (i) flooding and (ii) resulting closure of the B478 from Sonning to Playhatch and (b) the potential impact of climate change on future levels of flooding in that area.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The B478 between Sonning and Playhatch is located on the River Thames floodplain and is subject to frequent flooding. Sonning Quarry is located nearby where Tarmac Group Ltd is extracting minerals and undertaking restoration work.
The Environment Agency is working closely with South Oxfordshire District Council and Oxfordshire County Council to understand how these works, and any subsequent restoration activities, might impact the frequency and severity of flooding. To ensure there is no detrimental impact on local businesses and communities the Environment Agency is working with partners to ensure any works are consistent with national planning policy and an appropriate strategy to manage and mitigate flood risk associated with the works is agreed.
The Environment Agency is always improving it’s understanding of flood risk and shares the best available information with local authorities to influence land use, infrastructure adaptation and potential flood risk mitigations.