Half of borough's flood defences are substandard

NORTH Tyneside has the highest proportion of substandard flood defences in England, according to numbers obtained by the BBC.

- AUSTEN SHAKESPEARE

> The A19 north of Holystone Roundabout was closed due to flooding in October

Figures from the BBC's data unit have revealed that out of North Tyneside's 15 flood defences, seven "high consequence" defences have been ranked as "below required conditions".

High consequence means the defences in place are protecting multiple homes and/or businesses.

Examples of substandard conditions include; cracks and fractures, erosion, blocked or broken drainage systems, and water seepage or leakage.

The full breakdown for North Tyneside's defences is as follows:

Total number of defences: 15

Total number of high consequence defences: 14

Total number of defences below required condition: 7

Total number of high consequence defences below required condition: 7