Thorough Investigation Needed At Staithes
Yorkshire, 18 June 2010
A few weeks ago my colleague Julie Girling, Conservative MEP for the South West and member of the European Parliament Environment Committee, praised the water quality in the UK. An EU bathing water report showed a marked improvement in the results for Britain's beaches. It came as good news: more of us are going to be holidaying at home this summer, due to the fragile economy we are living with.
The European Environment Agency's bathing water report for 2009 shows that the proportion of UK beaches reaching mandatory standards rose from 95 percent to 97 percent compared to 2008 whilst the number meeting the much stricter guideline standards rose from 69 percent to 80 percent. Compared to the 2008 report the number of beaches that did not meet mandatory guidelines has fallen dramatically.
But the good news did not come for everyone: Staithes Beach has again not managed to pass the required standards. I've monitored the situation at Staithes for a number of years now. In 2008, I asked Scarborough Council to investigate the problem. I also spoke to the Environment Agency (who carry out the water quality tests) and Yorkshire Water, who have been working to correct the problem.
It's clear that Staithes' location is at the root of all this: the relief of the surrounding area funnels rainwater into the harbour, which encloses the beach. If anything toxic enters the water here, it may take a while to wash out.
But we are still in the dark about what exactly is causing the problem. Various theories abound, but we need a thorough investigation into the causes of the pollution at Staithes, so that we can make the best decision for the town and its inhabitants. My office rang Scarborough Council recently and the study that was promised to me a year ago has yet to be started. I'm urging this to be carried out as soon as possible.
In the meantime, I highly recommend holidaymakers visit Yorkshire this summer: its wonderful scenery and coastline, its market towns and picturesque villages have so much to offer. I shall be spending a large part of my summer at home, and I hope that visitors to the region enjoy their stay here.
Check out Timothy's involvement with Staithes in February 2008 and March 2008 and an update in November 2008
