VEXED ON THE BEACH
Sewage in the sea will hit vital tourism in Blackpool, MP warns
SHOCKING pollution in the sea off Blackpool’s beaches could damage tourism this summer, one of its MPs has warned.
Labour’s Chris Webb has written to Environment Minister Steve Reed to highlight his concerns.
His letter came as a result of the latest sewage discharge, this time at St Annes North Beach between Blackpool and Lytham St Annes on the Fylde coast of Lancashire.
It brings the total pollution alerts to 158 so far this year.
Mr Webb blamed poor enforcement, a lack of funding from central government and “years and years of under-investment by water company United Utilities in its infrastructure”.
The MP for Blackpool South, said: “This is an urgent problem for Blackpool – a town where the economy is built on tourism.
“Our beaches are the town’s greatest attraction. This summer, when families should be enjoying our coastline, they have been advised not to enter the sea.
“My constituents should be able to reap all the benefits of our town’s greatest natural asset.” He added the pollution was a threat to “our sense of local pride”. Mr Webb described United Utilities as the UK’s worst polluter, citing Environment Agency data. The firm faces claims it released sewage from storm overflows into water on the Fylde Coast almost 1,500 times in 2023. A ruling is due by Ofwat on whether to allow water firms to increase bills to fund investment. United Utilities insisted there had already been billions of pounds of investment, with another £3billion due to be spent on environmental improvements in the North West by 2030. PM Keir Starmer visited Mr Webb in Blackpool ahead of him winning a by-election in May.
This is an urgent issue. Our beaches are the town’s greatest attraction