ThamesAwash fighting to make up for 'lost decade'

Flood campaigners are fighting to make up for a 'lost decade' which left their villages exposed and vulnerable.

The action group ThamesAwash - first set up in 2003  - is demanding the River Thames Scheme, that would protect towns and villages down river from Windsor, be given the immediate go-ahead.

A petition calling for it to be implemented has been set up.

Chris Bertram, chairman of ThamesAwash, explained the scheme for the lower Thames had been designed 10 years ago.

He said: "It will come as no comfort to all those flooded this winter to know that the solution has been sitting on the drawing board all this time."

The 17-kilometre flood channel would protect Old Windsor, Datchet, Wraysbury, Staines and Chertsey in the same way as the Jubilee River protected Windsor, Maidenhead and Eton from the recent floods.

Mr Bertram believes the standard view of heavy flooding as a 'once in 100 years' event must be rethought in the light of recent history.

Visit http://thamesawash.com/register.aspx to register for the action group.

Go to http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/61258 to sign the petition.