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Emergency flood evacuation signs are met with criticism
Emergency flood evacuation signs which cost Lincolnshire taxpayers £105,000 have been branded a waste of money. Red ‘ER’ evacuation signs have gone up along 13 routes around the coast and the south of the county. The initiative follows the devastating coastal flooding of 2013 and 1953 and aims to help people get to non-flood risk areas in an emergency by following the signs. Stephen Glover, 57, of South Terrace, Boston, who evacuated his bungalow in December 2013, said: "This is a waste of money which I think would be better spent on sandbags." Flood victim Lorraine Aldhouse, 51, an administration worker, of Rose Place in Boston, said: "Can they not think of anything better to spend our money on?
"We are still fighting for the rest of our money from the insurance company." "When the floods came, the road out was closed anyway." Officials say the signs are a simple and sensible solution and to help protect locals and the many tourists who do not know the area well. But ex-councillor Paul Kenny, who was Mayor of Boston at the time of the 2013 flood, said people needed warning sirens and sandbags, not road signs. He said: "If you’re spending public money, spend it on things that people actually want."
"Someone has come up with this idea to spend £105,000 on ER signs, but people don’t even know what it means." "Who’s to say these routes will be usable in the event of a flood?" "If sandbags and sirens are good enough for Grimsby, why aren’t they good enough for Boston?" However, Neil Rhodes, chief constable of Lincolnshire Police and chairman of the county’s flood resilience forum, said: "A lot of people who come into Lincolnshire are not residents. "They’re tourists in caravans on the coast." "You just ask yourself how much human life is worth."
Lincolnshire County Council said that coastal flooding still represents a serious risk to the east coast of Lincolnshire. Officials there say evacuation routes would help lead people to safety, and allow emergency services to focus on those in danger. And they warn sandbags can cause delays in getting people to safety. David Powell, head of emergency planning at Lincolnshire County Council, said: "We just simply want to be able to move people to a place of safety very quickly. "I think £100,000 is a good investment. It’s a one-off cost." "What price do you put on public safety in Lincolnshire? In the event of a serious flood, we strongly advise local residents and tourists to follow the signs. This is about protecting lives and the local economy." Routes run from Boston via the B1183 to Revesby then the A155 towards Coningsby, then from Boston via the A52, A1121 then to the A17.
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