Ribble Fisheries Consultative Association Oppose Ribble Barrage

The body responsible for Angling interests on the Ribble - and consequently concerned with the health of the River Ribble and its ecosystem - have published their position paper regarding the Ribble barrage proposal.

The Ribble Fisheries Consultative Association are unreservedly opposed to the Ribble barrage scheme as they argue that "The building of a barrage across the Ribble most certainly constitutes the greatest threat yet to migratory fish and would irrevocably change the ecology of the whole river system."

Their position is strongly supported by the Anglers Conservation Association (ACA), whose own position opposing the Ribble barrage is also published below the RFCA position statement.


'RIBBLE FISHERIES CONSULTATIVE ASSOCIATION

PROPOSED RIBBLE BARRAGE – POSITION PAPER

WHO ARE WE?

The RFCA is the umbrella organisation that represents angling interests on the Ribble Catchment. We represent the majority of angling clubs and riparian owners on the Ribble Catchment. We have close links with the Lancashire Consultative, primarily interested in the lower river, the Hodder Consultative and the Ribble Catchment Conservation Trust, tasked with habitat improvement. We have close links with the Environment Agency and currently sit on the committee responsible for the Salmon Action Plan. We are a participant in all consultations involving the riverine environment, water framework directive and any legislation affecting angling. We actively lobby MPs and Government Ministers on anything relating to the above

WHY WE ARE OPPOSED TO A BARRAGE ACROSS THE RIBBLE.

Historically.

When one looks at the history of barrages in England and Wales they have all been detrimental to migratory fish. If we take the last two built as an example. In the Cardiff Bay barrage the Council is facing an annual bill of £20m to attempt to put right environmental damage caused by the barrage. In the case of the Tees the barrage delays the passage of migratory fish thus creating a focus of predation and this matter is subject to a case brought by the ACA.

Salmon Stocks.

If one looks at the current status of English and Welsh stocks we see the following:
“Of the 62 principal salmon rivers 18% are currently (2006) achieving their management objective of exceeding the conservation limit four years out of five, and 19% are considered ‘probably not at risk’ (that is, there is a 50%-95% probability of the river complying). There is a similar percentage, which have a probability between 5 and 50% of complying and are considered to be ‘probably at risk’. There are currently 44% of rivers ‘at risk’, having less than a 5% probability of meeting their management objective.”
(A summary of the status of spring salmon stocks in England and Wales at April 2007)

Against this context the Ribble is one of the premier game fishing rivers in England and Wales. Each year in the E.A. Catch statistics the Ribble comes in the top six rivers for salmon, and unusually, also for sea trout. The Ribble is of major importance in the Environment Agencies fight to meet targets for salmon survival.

The Ribble was one of five pilots set up to pioneer Salmon Action Plans and is currently piloting a carcass tagging scheme for the E.A., which is expected to become a national scheme within a few years. A barrage would inevitably create a situation where the above would be put at risk as would the national targets.

Wild Atlantic Salmon.

The salmon is currently the 10th most threatened species in Europe. “The salmon is listed under the European Community Habitats Directive as a species requiring protection. It is amongst those wild species that Member States must maintain at, or restore to a favourable conservation status.” (Better Salmon and Sea Trout Fisheries 2008 –2021)

Much of the inter-tidal habitat in the Ribble estuary has Natura 2000 and Ramsar status.

The importance of the Ribble catchment is emphasized by the fact that it is the pilot basin for the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive in the UK.

“Salmon migrate from our waters to feed as far away as West Greenland. Their fate is affected by influences in the marine environment and potentially by fisheries operating at various points along their migration. Through the UK Government, we support the European Union delegation to the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO). We aim to support the conservation and rational management of salmon across the North Atlantic through agreements reached in this forum.” (Better Salmon and Sea Trout Fisheries 2008 –2021)

We strongly believe that a barrage across the Ribble would be against these initiatives and put at risk the survival of the Ribble salmon.

Sea Trout and other species

The sea trout is rapidly becoming a species under threat nationally and measures are currently being discussed to promote the improvement in the sea trout fishery.

The lower River is also a noted coarse fishery, probably the main one in the North West. A separate paper produced mainly by the Lancashire Consultative is recommended for a more detailed study of this fishery. It is entitled “The Lower Ribble as a fishery from the 60s to 2007 and the future”

Significantly, the Irish Sea and the estuary are recognised spawning and nursery areas for the sole and bass together with a recognised shellfish and prawn fishery.

We strongly believe that a barrage across the Ribble would be prejudicial to the safeguarding and development of these species.

Wider Environmental Issues.

· Siltation - The problem of debris and silt brought down the river is widely acknowledged as one of the contributory factors in the demise of the old docks. There was a constant need for dredging to maintain a channel. The Ribble continues to have a major siltation problem which is recognised by the E.A. in its flood defence reports, particularly as a result of increase “runoff” and increased drainage in the upper catchment. A barrage would merely add to this problem by allowing sedimentation to build up against it.
· Water quality - one of the intentions of the proposed barrage is to create a large area of still water. Any reduction in the amount of dissolved oxygen coupled with a greater length of almost still water would be detrimental to migrating fish especially during hot weather when there were low flows in any case. A considerable length of low flowing water would be susceptible to “bloom” – further reducing the amount of dissolved oxygen. In addition, it will provide a breeding ground for flies, midges and algae – thus creating a health and safety issue. Should the siltation turn to mud the river would be present a potential hazard for anyone venturing into the river.
Although the quality of the Ribble water has improved in recent years it must be recognised that the Ribble drains both rural and urban areas – each with their own particular pollution problems – including nitrate run off, agricultural pollution, industrial effluents and sewage discharges. The large area of almost still water created by the barrage would act as a depository for such pollutants thus creating a potential health and safety problem.
If the barrage was above any polluted influx of water (e.g. Savick Brook) there would be less water to dissipate this pollution causing a reduction in the water quality beyond the barrage.
· Flow - The flow behind the barrage would be seriously reduced as indicated above. In addition, the flow from the barrage into the estuary will be significantly changed and therefore pose difficulties for fish coming back to the river as they rely on the outflow to find their way and determine the best time to “run”.
· Flood Defence –The potential for flooding is posed by the drainage of the catchment and any lifting of the water level will create potential flooding problems at times of heavy rainfall as much of the flood plain will have been flooded already. There are currently storm and sewage outfalls that are causing problems as they fall below the now increased flood height of the river caused by the increased drainage of the upland areas.
· Erosion – the increase flood height throughout the catchment caused by improved drainage of the upland areas means that the river rises much quicker, causes significant additional erosion to the banks to be deposited behind the barrage. A barrage would inevitably effect estuary currents and thus increase the likelihood of erosion of the adjacent coastline. This would have an impact on the internationally designated wetlands and marshlands of the Ribble estuary.
. Smolts - Much of what we have been saying refers to the adult salmon. A barrage would present enormous problems for migrating smolts at a time when they would be at their most vulnerable - just as they adapt to life in salt water by the displacement of the mesohaline zone.

Economics

The annual value of the Ribble fishery in terms of rod caught salmon is estimated at between £8.5 million and £11 million. On top of this one could put the seatrout catch, which most years is considerable. There is also a small estuary netting arrangement which is guaranteed by the 1975 Salmon and Freshwater Act. In Salmon Conservation terms the Ribble is a major part of proceedings in England and Wales. Clubs, riparian owners and individual anglers are supporting a variety of measures to improve survival of more salmon. The voluntary put back rate by anglers of caught salmon is running at 75%, the largest % of any river in the North West and one of the highest rates nationally.

We would also draw your attention to the wider implications included in the attached letter from the ACA. Which include “All of these unwelcome impacts, and many others, would in our view constitute an extremely damaging combined effect on the Ribble fishery. This would not only impact on the direct angling economy of the region (for e.g. tackle, fishery rents, guides, permit sales and land values), but also the indirect economic benefit of angling (for e.g. hotels, bed and breakfasts, self-catering cottages, supermarkets, pubs and local shops). The Ribble’s sport fishery plays a very significant role in attracting visitors to the region and a barrage would have a direct impact on this.”

Whatever happens in the estuary will have a direct effect on the whole catchment - having the potential to irrevocably alter the whole ecology of the river and viability of many a business within the catchment.

Conclusion

As can be seen from the above the future of the Ribble Salmon Fishery is delicately balanced. Many people are making strenuous efforts to ensure the Ribble Salmon survives and prospers and there is a legal imperative placed on the E.A to ensure it does. Nothing that puts all this work into jeopardy can be countenanced or accepted. The building of a barrage across the Ribble most certainly constitutes the greatest threat yet to migratory fish and would irrevocably change the ecology of the whole river system.

It also appears to be contrary to both European and UK Government policy which states that: “We will work with our partners to remove barriers to migration” (Better sea trout and salmon fisheries 2008-2021).

To even consider such a scheme demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the dynamic nature of estuaries and the interdependence of marine, estuarial and riverine ecosystems.

We would much rather see the Ribble estuary celebrated for its rich wildlife and natural qualities, rather than destroyed to create a boating lake and backdrop to development.

We would expect Preston City Council and any consultants to address the issues raised above.

Prepared by:

C.D.Hinks
Dr.M.Horner,
J.W.Whitham
F.Higham '



The Anglers Conservation Association letter referred to above is posted below, and includes the following:

‘In our experience, barrages of all types on river systems have a negative impact on the ecology and in particular fisheries of rivers. Barrages in estuaries have a much greater impact.’

In sum, the ACA state that a barrage on the Ribble ‘would have extremely high environmental, social and economic costs to the region as a whole…’

This is because:

‘…barrages impede the upstream migration of salmon, sea trout and eels…’

‘…impact on the number of fish returning to spawn…’

‘…reduce the number of juvenile salmon and sea trout successfully leaving the river to feed and mature into adult fish…’

and this is all despite the necessary construction of fish passes…


The ACA also recognise the inevitable problems associated with ‘sediment deposition within the impounded area, and enhanced erosion outside, which would alter the ecology of not just the Ribble estuary, but the surrounding coastline…’ as well as ‘displace’ the basic support-system ‘which is vital for the survival of many estuarial species…’


The letter goes on to say that:

‘… the barrage would impound pollution flowing down the Ribble… where it would be most likely to impact on salmon and sea trout…’

and it ‘would reduce oxygen levels… thus augmenting the effect of any pollution on fish populations’.

And later points out that ‘In addition, the construction of the barrage would involve significant energy inputs and aggregate extraction, both of which would contribute to increased carbon dioxide emissions and the latter would involve damage to local environments elsewhere.’

The ACA point out that ‘All these unwelcome impacts, and many others, would… constitute an extremely damaging combined effect on the Ribble fishery’ which ‘would not only impact on the direct angling economy of the region … but also the indirect economic benefit of angling’ such as hotels and other holiday accommodation, pubs and shops etc, and point out the ‘tens of thousands of… anglers who currently visit the Ribble… who would swiftly move elsewhere’ if a barrage was built here.

The ACA conclude that:

‘It is particularly discouraging that money is being wasted on developing this scheme – even just examining its feasibility – as the experience from other barrages elsewhere in the country and the rest of the world should have demonstrated by now to anyone doing even a cursory review of the literature, that they are nearly always more costly to construct and maintain than originally envisaged and that they have severe impacts on the ecology of rivers on which so much of the local economy depends. To even consider such a scheme demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the dynamic nature of estuaries and the interdependence of marine, estuarial and riverine ecosystems. We would much rather see the Ribble estuary celebrated for its rich wildlife and natural qualities, rather than destroyed to create a boating lake and backdrop to development.’


You can click on the pages of the full ACA letter below to read it in full...






The Lancashire Fisheries Consultative Association are also fully opposed to the Ribble barrage proposals, and you can find out more about Fisheries Consultative Associations at the National Association of Fisheries and Angling Consultatives here.

You can contact us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

Anglers Threaten Legal Action Over Ribble Barrage

Anglers are getting increasingly angry about the way Preston City Vision Board and Preston City Council are pushing forward their proposals for a barrage across the Ribble.

Ian, who works as a River Keeper on the Ribble, said in his blog "Keeper's Blog "

It's good to note the very robust attitude that the Ribble Fisheries Consultative have taken with Preston Council over this issue. The Council's Chief Exec has been left in no doubt about the strength of feeling amongst anglers that the barrage will be hugely detrimental to the river environment and that RFC will take legal action should the council proceed with its plans.

He continues

As things stand at present the plan is to conduct a feasibility study to determine cost and environmental impact and any decision about building the barrage will be taken in the light of the findings of this study. The problem is that we don't know the criteria on which the council will base their decision such as what is acceptable cost and what environmental damage will be tolerated. If this project goes ahead it could have disastrous consequences for Ribble salmon and sea trout as well as affecting course fish below Settle. Anyone with concerns about the scheme should write to the
Chief Exec of Preston Council.

Unite to Save Our River Ribble

At a time when the government is planning to make it easier for developers to build over green belt land and a time when our council leaders seem determined to ignore local views on unitary authority status, we feel that it has never been more important for the people who live near the River Ribble to stand up and defend our beautiful river.

Preston City Council has irresponsible and dangerous ideas to build a barrage across the River Ribble and over 4000 houses in its floodplain, on the beautiful green belt land that divides Preston from South Ribble. These ideas are contained in the councils over-hyped and under-scrutinised Riverworks Proposals.

Local people love the Ribble and our green spaces, in all seasons, at all tides, and in all nature's moods...



Save The Ribble has been campaigning since the launch of our blog to give the pro-Ribble Response of local people to these proposals.

Our members and supporters include (in no particular order):

* Anglers, who want to keep the river tidal and fast flowing because it this makes it an ideal habitat for barbel (and the Atlantic Salmon, one of the most endangered species in Europe)

*Allotment Keepers who do not want to see their historic allotments built over

*Dog walkers who find the river a great place to walk with their faithful companions

*Ramblers who love walking along a beautiful everchanging tidal river.

*Bird lovers who understand the mortal threat that a barrage would pose to the Ribble Estuary, an internationally important home to over 250,000 birds, which all rely on the nutrient rich silts washed down the river

*Local householders, who do not want to see the Ribble turned into a race track for jet-skiers, and who fear that raising the water level to permanent high-tide and extensive development in the floodplain will increase the flood risk to their homes.

Environmentalists who understand the key importance of our tidal river and its estuary to a huge variety of flora and fauna, and that a barrage and marina would turn the Ribble into a concrete-lined sterile imitation of a river.

*Footballers, who do not wish to see precious pitches like Penwortham Holme, Vernons or Frenchwood Recreation Ground turned over to the developers



We are not opposed to progress, but we are opposed to wanton destruction of beautiful green spaces, environmentally sensitive areas and precious community facilities like allotments and football pitches.

Preston City Council could put local people's minds at rest today, by simply promising never to barrage the Ribble or to build more housing in its floodplain - until we receive such assurances, we will continue to build locally and nationally to resist these crazy proposals - proposals which were dreamt up over two years ago, which have had huge amounts of public money and council officer time spent on them, but which were never been asked for by local people, and on which local people have never yet been consulted.

We are certain that if the council had ever come to local people for ideas, they would have come up with much more creative, responsible and sustainable ideas than this overblown and dangerous project, a project that seems driven by the potential profits of greedy developers rather than by the wishes or needs of local people.

Join Us!

If you want to join our campaign, please write to: 'Save The Ribble' PO Box 1104. Penwortham, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 0DB or email us at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

Feel free to download our window poster and stick it in your window or on your noticeboard at work.

John Sawhill said that "in the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create but by what we refuse to destroy" - we must unite to defend one of the last truly beautiful parts of Preston, a precious part of Lancashire, an asset to North West England, the richest inter-tidal habitat in the UK and an internationally important area for birdlife - the River Ribble.

UPDATE

Much to our surprise, South Ribble Borough Council has listened to local people and opposed a merger and joint unitary authority bid with Preston.

This shows that if we make our views heard strongly enough, we can make a difference - the barrage and floodplain housing ideas can still be stopped!

Preston Riverworks - A Guide to the Pro-Ribble Response

The 'Save the Ribble' Blog was launched over 4 months ago, in response to Preston City Council's 'Riverworks' proposals. Ordinary people from across Preston, Penwortham, South Ribble and the towns and villages that line our beautiful River Ribble were angered at the dangerous ideas contained in these proposals - including the idea of putting a barrage across the Ribble that would raise its level to permanent high-tide, and the idea of building over 4000 houses in the River's flood plain, over land that is currently used for farming, allotments and football fields.



Since the blog was launched we have had a far better response than we could have imagined, with thousands of people visiting our site - over 6000 'hits' since we started counting them in the middle of May.

We have posted over 50 posts in total, and have received numerous comments, poems, stories and photographs from pro-river readers.

This post is intended to guide you through some of the most important posts on this blog - offering quick access to some of the key arguments against the Riverworks ideas.

Flood Risk

When we first launched, we were concerned to show the threat that some of the Riverworks ideas posed to local people and the environment - the increased dangers of flooding to local housing, for example, where we published this map from the Environment Agency showing the extent of the Ribble Floodplain in the area suggested by Riverworks for house-building:
















Here's a picture taken on March 28th 2006 of the Ribble in Penwortham, breaking its banks after heavy rain.

If a barrage is built, the River level will be permanently higher. Instead of being regularly 'flushed' through by the rivers' tidal action, silts will gather behind the barrage and will progressively accumulate on the River bed - reducing the capacity of the River and its ability to deal with heavy rains.

Rainfall run-off will also increase if thousands of new houses are built on this floodplain, and a permanently high river level will cause groundwater to rise beneath both new and existing homes.

Consultation

In Riverworks Proposals - The Story So Far we pointed out that

Local residents along the Ribble corridor have not yet been consulted.
A large number of local residents are very concerned about these proposals.
Local councils throughout the Ribble corridor have not yet been consulted.
Fylde Borough Council and Freckleton Parish Council are amongst those opposed to the Ribble barrage.
Environmental organisations who are actively concerned with the River Ribble have not yet been consulted. Environmental organisations are very concerned about the barrage proposal, including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, both the Lancashire and Ribble Fisheries Consultative Associations, the Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside, the Ribble Catchment Conservation Trust, and Buglife.

Preston Council leaders claim that the barrage will “enhance both the natural and built environment”.
This ignores the crucial importance to wildlife of this internationally recognised intertidal habitat, and the beauty and character of this unique river.

Four months since we raised these objections - and several years since the Riverworks ideas were first mooted, local residents and environmental organisations have still not seen any form of consultation - are we to wait until there is so much developers money behind these proposals that they are a foregone conclusion, and then have a tokenistic consultation where local people are asked for their views which are subsequently ignored?

In an effort to raise the issues among local councillors we sent out this Letter to local councillors which we emailed to members of South Ribble, Preston, and Lancashire County Councils (plus a few others).

In it we said:

Local residents feel concerned:
a) that a barrage or weir on the River Ribble is even under consideration, as the Ribble is a river of such international, as well as national and local significance to wildlife that it is afforded the highest protection as a Special Protection Area under the Habitats Regulations 1994;
b) that developing thousands of new houses, businesses and infrastructure on land which is both our local green belt, and floodplain for an area considered at “significant risk” by the Environment Agency, is even under consideration;
c) that both of these options are being considered from the perspective of their commercial viability BEFORE FULL consultation with local residents and with concerned environmental organisations including the RSPB, Lancashire Wildlife Trust, the Ribble and Lancashire Fisheries Consultative Associations, and English Nature;
d) that FULL consultation should take place with all of the above BEFORE any decision is taken to pursue these options further.

We have continued putting forward calls for open, democratic consultation, rather than small cabals cooking up plans for Preston behind closed doors, most recently in Will Ribbleside residents voices be heard?

Football Pitches and Sports Fields

Football pitches and sports fields earmarked in the Riverworks Composite Masterplan to have housing and business built over them include Penwortham Holme, Fishwick Bottoms, Vernons and Frenchwood Recreation Ground

Preston City Council's Composite Masterplan, republished on the blogsite on Views from the Riverbank of a Genuinely Sustainable Future, shows that land north of the river, in Preston itself, is being considered for development. If you look closely at the Taylor Young plan you can see the orange "New housing" area covering most of Frenchwood Recreation Ground from close to the Old Tram Bridge to the Esplanade.

Development here would not only destroy a fine green space below Frenchwood Knoll but it would build over very popular playing fields used by amateur league soccer teams. This is at a time when greater participation in sport is being encouraged for health reasons by Sport England; when the UK is to host the Olympics in 2012; when many health workers and parents are concerned about child (and adult) obesity; and in Preston, the home of the National Football Museum. The increase in traffic along the Boulevard and Malvern Avenue to the new estate would mean more congestion and accidents at the bottleneck junction of London Road and Ashworth Grove (unless the riverside path is opened up for car traffic through Avenham Park? I guess nothing is sacred in Riverworks).

More on the threat to local football pitches here: Football Pitches and Sports Grounds At Risk From Riverworks

Allotments

We have had a lot to say in defence of our local allotments!

In Weekend on the Allotment 'Allotment Plotter' points out

The allotments are an asset to the local area. They provide recreation and exercise to local people of all ages. They add to the incredible biodiversity of the area offering habitat to a number of birds, mammals, amphibians and insects. They are fantastic recycling centres; vegetable waste is composted, old pallets and wood are reused, discarded pop bottles are used propagate seedlings in spring. I could go on.

The high organic matter in the soil stores moisture ensuring minimal water wastage in times of drought. During rain they can also help to prevent flooding.

In Further Tales and Pictures from the RIverbank and Allotments Elaine, another local allotment keeper points out:

'I am seriously concerned that the proposed development threatens our allotment site. At 139 plots Penwortham Holme West is one of the largest allotment sites in Preston and also one of the oldest. There has been allotments on this site since circa 1913. Our site has a rich and valuable heritage and history. And it is not just Penwortham Holme West which would be affected but the allotment site at Penwortham Holme East as well.

The health and social benefits of allotments and of gardening and growing your own vegetables are well known. Promotion of these benefits has finally being given support and is being widely advertised by government, local and health authorities. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has endorsed its support of allotment gardening and provision of allotment sites. Thanks to short-sited and commercially orientated decisions of many of our local authorities and the depredations of property developers many allotment sites have been sold off and built on. Once these sites go they are lost forever. Currently there is a national shortage of allotments and increased awareness of the value of sites.

We also put forward a list of Ten Reasons Why Preston City Council Should Not Build Over Our Allotments.

Housing

It is very contradictory that the Riverworks proposals should put forward the idea of building 4000 new houses, at a time when both Preston and South Ribble councils say they have a 'surplus' of housing in their areas. We explore this contradiction further in Riverworks - The Housing Sums That Don't Add Up.

Lets get this straight - Preston City Council think there is 'enough' housing in Preston, and South Ribble Council think there is an 'oversupply' of housing in South Ribble - so why on earth do the Riverworks proposals suggest building 4000 houses?

Where exactly did these ideas come from? These housing proposals are clearly neither wanted, nor needed, by Preston residents, so how did they come to be included in Riverworks? Who suggested it, and why is the council spending money on feasibility studies, and asking for much more money from the national lottery to push these ideas forward?

The Save The Ribble campaign will be working hard to find out the answers to these questions.

One thing is clear, the Riverworks housing and barrage proposals are ideas that are being driven by the potential profits of developers, rather than by the wishes or needs of residents of Preston and South Ribble

Mud and Silts

Much of the argument about the barrage is concerned with the behaviour of River water, the carriage of silts and their importance to the birdlife of the Ribble Estuary, and the interaction between tides, rainwater, marshes and mudflats - a precious balance that nourishes wildlife and protects us from floods.



Mudflats and Saltmarsh Vital Habitats and Flood Defences explains these crucial environmental issues, that Preston City Council and their developer friends have failed to understand. (Why let the facts get in the way of a profitable opportunity?)

Just to put this into perspective, the Ribble Estuary SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) is 9,226 hectares (22,798 acres) of combined mudflats, sandflats, and salt marsh. This is what makes the Ribble Estuary the 2nd most important wetland site in the UK, protected under the International RAMSAR wetlands convention, and a designated Special Protection Area under the EU Birds Directive and the UK Conservation (Habitats &c) Regulations 1994.

The Ribble's wetland habitat is a dynamic system which changes, but comprises approximately 20% saltmarsh and 80% mudflats and sandflats. 6,730 hectares of this habitat are in Lancashire and 2,501 hectares in Merseyside.
This estuarine wetland habitat is created and supported by the free-flowing tidal nature of the Ribble. Any changes in the free-flow of water, silts and nutrients - such as a Ribble barrage would cause - would put this internationally important habitat at risk, and deplete its flood defence capabilities.

Residents Views

It has always been important for us to turn our blog into a forum where local people can post their opinions - so often ordinary people are ignored by councils and media in favour of the wealthy and powerful development companies - blogging is a way to counteract this, and make local people's voices more potent. We know our blog is minutely scrutinised by some people in Preston Town Hall - so your views go directly to the decision makers.

Examples of posts where we have gathered together local people's views include:

Local People Who Care about the River Ribble and Local Councils Who Don't
Residents Concerns for the Environment and Quality Of Life
Residents Continue to Voice Concerns about Riverworks
Tales from the Riverbank
More Tales from the Riverbank and
Views from the Riverbank for a Genuinely Sustainable Future

Debating Tools

There are a few ideas and myths floating round about Riverworks - that we debunk in Riverworks - Pub Debate Primer We hope that anyone that reads this will be able to argue the pro-river case in any beer-fuelled pub conversation!

I have only pointed out a few of the really interesting and informative posts you can find on this blog - perhaps you have a personal favourite that you think I should have included - if so post about it below!

There are as many reasons to save the ribble from these Riverworks ideas as there are people who love their local river, who appreciate wildlife and who are concerned about keeping their houses safe from flooding - we want more of your opinions, ideas and arguments so that our blog continues to represent your views and to build the movement against the Riverworks ideas.

PS You can now download our window poster direct from this blog.

Just click on the image below, then print out your result.