Sewage could harm seaside town's future - MP

Mr Webb has met campaigners such as Dr Barbara Kneale from Fylde Coast Against Sewage

Pollution of a seaside town's beaches could damage its tourism industry, an MP has warned.

Blackpool South MP Chris Webb has written to Environment Minister Steve Reed to highlight his concerns following the latest sewage discharge which affected St Annes North beach.

Mr Webb blamed poor enforcement, a lack of funding from central government and “years of underinvestment by water company United Utilities in its infrastructure” for the 158 pollution alerts on its coastline so far this year.

United Utilities said there had been “billions of pounds of investment” made to protect the Fylde coastline with another £3bn due to be spent on environmental improvements in the North West by 2030.

Mr Webb said he was alerted to a discharge just before 18:00 BST on Wednesday which could also impact Blackpool, despite being on a neighbouring beach.

'Urgent problem'

In his letter, he warned: “This is an urgent problem for Blackpool – a town where the economy is built on tourism and 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. The pollution of our seas and beaches not only threatens our health, but our well-being and sense of local pride.”

He wrote: “So far in 2024 there have been a combined 158 pollution alerts on Fylde Coast beaches."

He added United Utilities was the UK’s worst polluter, according to the Environment Agency, with claims it released raw sewage from storm overflows into open water on the Fylde Coast almost 1,500 times in 2023.

A United Utilities spokesman said: “There will always be times during prolonged heavy rainfall when storm overflows still need to operate to protect homes and businesses from flooding."

A ruling is due by the Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat) on whether to allow water companies to increase bills to help fund investment.