The classification of the bathing water quality in Scarborough’s North Bay has declined from ‘good’ to ‘sufficient’ while the South Bay remains on the lowest rating of ‘poor’, according to the Environment Agency’s and Defra’s annual classifications of bathing water sites in England.
Meanwhile, Sandsend, Whitby, and Cayton Bay have retained their ‘excellent’ ratings, Reighton has gone from ‘good’ to ‘excellent’, and Robin Hood’s Bay has gone from ‘good’ to ‘sufficient’.
This year, 27 new bathing water sites were designated as ‘poor’ which is the biggest ever increase in new designations in a single year.
While Scarborough’s South Bay has faced issues with pollution and sewage for several years, the declining quality in the North Bay has further raised concerns.
Last year, Scarborough North Bay won a prestigious Blue Flag Award recognising the quality of the beach, the way it is managed, and the facilities on offer to visitors.
Coun Rich Maw said: “This is unacceptable. Privatisation has failed across many sectors, not least with water.
“The Government’s pledge to strengthen regulation doesn’t go far enough in my view.
“Fresh, clean water and the safe dealing of sewage are a necessity. Why should a few at the top make huge profits out of something we all need?
Emma Hardy, the water minister, said: “These figures are unacceptable and show that too many of our popular swimming spots are polluted.
“That’s why we are placing water companies under special measures through the water bill, which will strengthen regulation including new powers to ban the payment of bonuses for polluting water bosses and bring criminal charges against persistent lawbreakers.”
Yorkshire Water has completed a £2m project to reduce discharges from a storm overflow into the North Sea at Wheatcroft and further investment is taking place at the Whitby Road Bridge storm overflow near Scalby Beck.
Freddie Drabble, clean water campaigner and leader of Sons of Neptune, recently said it was “unfair that the South Bay will continue to have a ‘poor’ rating next year, with all the negative publicity and impact on tourism it will bring when significant investment and progress has been made.”
Mr Drabble added: “There is, of course, a lot more to do in Scarborough, but by continuing to work together and pool research we hope further improvements will be delivered”
Mike Dugher, deputy director for the Environment Agency in Yorkshire, said: “Across Yorkshire, 60% of our bathing waters are rated as good or excellent but any drops in quality are disappointing and must be addressed.
“There is still much more to be done to ensure cleaner and healthier waters for people to enjoy and action plans are in place for poor and sufficient classifications.”
A meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s Scarborough and Whitby Area Committee is set to discuss Defra’s consultation on reform of the Bathing Water Regulations at its meeting on Friday (Nov 29).
“In their current form, the Regulations take a generally ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to bathing water designations,” according to Defra, which has said there may be advantages to reforming them.
Giles Bristow, chief executive of Surfers Against Sewage, said the bathing water classification regime “isn’t just inadequate, it’s misleading and needs radical reform”.
The consultation is open to contributions until Monday, December 23: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/water/bathing-water-reforms-consultation/
