21 January 2008

Floods Across England

15 severe flood warnings and 124 flood warnings are in place across England and Wales.

- Families in Gloucestershire have been living in fear of a repeat of the summer flooding for more than a week, with warnings in place along the River Severn since the 12th of January.

- Flooding closed rail lines today between Sheffield and Barnsley, as well as from Leeds to either York, Harrogate, Bradford, Manchester Victoria, Sheffield or Blackpool North.

- The Environment Agency says there could be "extreme danger" to life and property in parts of Huddersfield, where the River Colne was expected to burst its banks.

Naturally, today's the day that more than 700 businesses have called on Alistair Darling to scrap a planned rise in fuel duty. In a letter to Darling, the companies said: "We are alarmed by the signals that the government appears to be sending to such a crucial industry at a time when the economy appears to be stalling."

I'm more alarmed at the rising flood waters. We have to start recognising that there is a link between driving more and more and carbon emissions that will contribute to a century of unpredictable climate change.

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