Harbour gate being broken again 'beggars belief'

The lock gates at Sutton Harbour in Plymouth have been out of action several times in the last few years

It "beggar's belief" the lock gates at Plymouth's Sutton Harbour are out of action again, a Plymouth MP has said.

Sutton Harbour Group said on Tuesday the lock on the gate was out of operation due to a hydraulic fault.

In July, The Plymouth Fishing and Seafood Association called for urgent repairs to the lock gates - claiming fishers were losing out on thousands of pounds due to the reduced time they had to fish and land catches.

The Environment Agency said it understood the frustration of the local fishing community, and was doing everything it could to get the lock up and running as soon as possible.

Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said the fishing industry "deserves better than these unreliable gates".

Pollard said: "It's beggars belief these lock gates keep breaking, disrupting fishermen and their livelihoods.

"I've contacted the Environment Agency to urge them to repair these gates without delay, and to deliver a long-term solution to fix these gates for good."

Pollard said he had written to the CEO of the Environment Agency earlier this year to "urge a long-term fix" on the gates.

He said he had campaigned alongside fishermen "for years" on the matter.

In a statement, the Environment Agency said: "Our officers are on site making the repairs now and we anticipate the lock should be back in service this evening [Wednesday].

"Flood protection to the Barbican area has not been affected."

In a post on X on Tuesday, Sutton Harbour Group said: "The lock is out of operation due to a hydraulic fault, with no passage in or out.

"Environment Agency engineers are in attendance to carry out repairs. Updates will be given when available."