press release from the office of Richard Corbett MEP

1 April 2004

EU "moves mountains" to achieve smooth metrication

The European Union is to pour nearly €800 million (£530 million) of European funding into our region so that our rivers can meet strict new EU guidelines.

The new Waterways (Lengths) Directive, which came into force today (1 April), requires all rivers and canals in Britain to be measured in kilometres, and their lengths to be rounded to the nearest 10km.

A spokesperson for the UK National Rivers Authority confirmed that lengths of rivers in Yorkshire and the Humber would be modified in order to comply with the new rules.

"In some cases, this means physically lengthening rivers by up to 2 kilometres in order for their total length to meet the new European requirements.

"Over the next few months, we will therefore be inserting additional bends and wiggles in most of the region's waterways."

The NRA spokesperson added:

"We have encountered a problem with the Humber, which actually requires shortening by 1.4km in order to achieve a sensible length of 2420km.

"We believe the best solution to this problem is to move the source of the river closer to the Humber estuary, and we have therefore agreed that the mountain of Bleaklow, where the Humber's tributary rises, will be shifted 1.4km east."

An injection of European cash will cover the entire cost of the physical redevelopment , which will also involve adding a number of overhead loops and aquaducts to the River Ouse, west of York.

Reacting to the news, Richard Corbett MEP said:

"This seems like an eminently sensible directive, designed to rationalise the lengths of not just our own waterways but of those across the entire EU.

"The new rules will certainly make a splash in those communities affected by the redirected rivers, but I hope the overall effect will not be a wash-out.

"I have already received a stream of complaints from constituents who believe that these plans do not hold water, or that we have been sold down the river by our representatives in Brussels. My best advice to these constituents is just to go with the flow."

Notes for editors

The UK authorities are well known for their strict interpretation of EU directives.

More information

Contact Toby Wardman, Press & Communications Officer for Richard Corbett MEP

phone 0113 245 8987