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SHADOW environment minister, Peter Ainsworth, arrived in Upton on Monday afternoon to find out what measures had been taken to protect the town against flooding.

He was shown around New Street, where many buildings are still uninhabited after July's flooding, and then to the banks of the Severn itself, where demountable flood barriers are proposed.

He was joined by parliamentary candidate for West Worcestershire, Harriet Baldwin, as well as Upton's mayor Tim Perry, and representatives from the Environment Agency.

Mr Perry had visited other sites of flooding earlier in the day, including Tewksbury and Cheltenham, and said the amount of public bodies involved in flood protection meant responsibilities were sometimes ignored.

He said: "People are frustrated and there has been the tendency to pass the buck."

The Conservative MP was shown where the Severn was liable to flood and the businesses, including the Plough Inn, that had been so affected.

Mr Perry said: "I'm very pleased that the Environment Agency has got a plan to deal with the problem here in Upton.

"What people went through here was obviously an extreme event but how good it would be for the place and the people who visit it if we could put in place a permanent solution."

The Environment Agency plan to attach demountable barriers to the banks of the River Severn, as opposed to the temporary barriers which are currently in use and are expensive to erect.

Anthony Perry, area flood risk manager for the agency, said: "The advantage of these is that they are light and easy to put in place.

"It costs £20,000 to put up the temporary barriers at the moment and in the winter of 2006 and 2007, we put them up six times."

3:42pm Saturday 3rd May 2008

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