Foss Barrier flood defence upgrade completed

A £38 million Environment Agency project to improve flood defences in York has been completed which helps to protect 2,000 properties and makes the city more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

Originally built in 1987, the Foss Barrier stops flood water from the River Ouse backing up along the River Foss after heavy rainfall. Upgrades have been planned since the devastating floods of Boxing Day 2015 when 627 properties flooded.

Improvement work started in spring 2016, which included replacing the old gate and its structure and and installing eight new high-powered pumps, increasing the pumping capacity from 30 to 50 cubic metres per second.

The work has also included an upgrade to the pumping station’s electricity supply and new back-up generators. Now complete, the Foss Barrier is one of the most resilient flood defences in the country.

Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency, said:

"York is a historic city which is no stranger to the effects of flooding. The upgraded Foss Barrier and flood defence work across the city will make people and businesses more resilient to future climate impacts.

"York has always managed to prosper through floods from its great rivers and as climate change makes the rest of the world more vulnerable to flooding York’s progress is a model."

According to Floods Minister Rebecca Pow, over half a billion pounds have been invested across the region since 2015 – more than any other part of the country. She said:

"The completion of upgrades to the Foss Barrier is an important day for the people of York. It’s part of more than £80 million of government funding for flood defences in the city since the devastating floods on Boxing Day 2015, helping to protect 2,000 homes and businesses from the impacts of climate change."