ENVIRONMENT Agency chief executive Sir James Bevan insists work to bolster Carlisle’s flood defences has started as soon as it could have.

The first phase of a £25m operation to reduce the risk of another Storm Desmond-scale disaster began this week.

Sir James says the work will mean Carlisle has “the best possible protection” against another major flood - but local politicians and flood campaigners have had their say on the scheme’s effectiveness.

On Wednesday phase one of the Flood Risk Management scheme for the city officially got underway. It focusses on the Warwick Road area. Phases two and three will focus on the River Eden and the west of the city.

Carlisle Flood Action Group has repeated concerns about a lack of dredging below Botcherby Bridge and apertures of the bridge not being big enough for the amount of water flowing at peak river levels. Concerns were also raised about an increase in the body of water flowing down the river, that will come as flood defences are raised.

In response to criticism about the scheme taking more than three years to begin, Sir James said: “I have always been determined to provide as soon as practicable, the best possible protection to the city of Carlisle. It is personal for me because I saw what happened in 2015 myself, that we wanted to ensure that we designed the scheme that really works, not just in terms of enhanced flood protection, but work for the people of Carlisle.

“This is their city, they live there, It needs to be a scheme they want and it takes time both to design a scheme that will be fit for purpose in terms of flood risk, and it takes time to consult people to make sure that we design what they want.

“What we have ended up with, as you say after three years or so, is a scheme that reflects both the best possible engineering and therefore the best possible protection against flood risk, coupled with a scheme that will greatly enhance this part of Carlisle and bring the kind of amenities people have told us they want.”

Cumbria County Council leader Stewart Young said: “They are being built to a standard that would withstand flooding of the same level as Storm Desmond, but none of us know that in the future we will get events that exceed Storm Desmond, because of the way the climate is going. Given the resources they have and given what they know now, they are doing their best. I don’t think anybody could say 100 per cent it will never happen again.

“We all hope that we never see anything like that again, but these things are becoming more frequent. It isn’t just in Carlisle, but it has happened elsewhere around the county. The climate is changing and we are going to have to change in order to respond to that.”

Carlisle MP John Stevenson added: “Flood defences and the risk of flooding is unfortunately an issue for a number of people here, but this is important in trying to protect the best part of 2,000 homes as best as we possibly can.”