Letter: Tackling flooding should be priority
A Tory MP reportedly told the government to “pull its finger out” with its perceived reaction to the devastating flooding of large areas of this country, with the probability that with global warming, changing weather patterns will occur again.
Perhaps this same government should also consider withdrawing the open hand that will no doubt stretch like Pinocchio’s nose as the costs escalate.
A project that will cause destruction of habitat, the uprooting of people from their homes and their livelihood, noise and disruption.
Does this country’s industrial and financial future success along with a shorter journey time for those who may use it by one hour, justify the tremendous costs?
This funding would be better used by environmental agencies to dredge rivers and water courses and for the extensive installation of flood barriers. To those whose homes and businesses are repeatedly flooded, farmers who are seeing their land submerged, unable to sew crops, struggling to harvest winter vegetables and tending to their livestock, HS2 might seem profligate.
Further buttressing areas of the coastline against rising sea levels and the effects of violent storms where inundation could be permanent is an ongoing necessity.
We have seen the fire service, police, ambulance and the Army, plus the valuable assistance of many volunteers, stretched to capacity. It is becoming more and more obvious that we have to work with the changing climate, adapting and protecting ourselves and the environment.
It is not too late to make adequate funding a priority. The safety and welfare of this country’s populace should take priority over the construction of a super speed railway line.
Suzanne Proudley, Telford
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