Action for healthier rivers demanded by town’s MP
A demand that the Government takes urgent and effective action to make rivers healthier and create nature-rich corridors through towns and countryside has been handed in to Number 10 Downing Street.
The letter has been signed by 25 cross-party MPs including Shrewsbury MP Julia Buckley who says the health of Britain’s rivers, and of the River Severn in particular, has been one of her top priorities since being elected last year.
“Handing in this list of demands was all part of the brilliant Making Space for Water campaign run by the Rivers Trust,” said Mrs Buckley. “And I’m delighted to be a part of this initiative as someone who cares passionately about the health of our rivers.”
The MP sits on the Environmental Audit Committee in Parliament and has long campaigned alongside Shrewsbury and Minsterley action groups for tougher flood resilience measures in Shropshire while also demanding action to tackle the problem of pollution in the River Severn.
“Restoring our rivers clearly sits alongside all the work I’ve been doing on flood resilience and river pollution, and this Making Space for Water campaign is calling on the Government to make a public commitment for nature-rich river corridors, all the time working alongside our farmers, of course, as stewards for the land, to compensate them accordingly for their role in supporting water management.”
Alongside the Rivers Trust, the campaign is being backed by the Beaver Trust, the Woodland Trust, UK Youth 4 Nature, the 25 MPs and the high-profile nature author, podcaster and adventurer Alastair Humphreys. The MP added: “For far too long our rivers have been allowed to deteriorate, and urgent action is now needed to restore them and make them healthy again for us and for future generations.”
