Horwood speaks out against big barrage

5.34.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 20th Sep 2009

CHELTENHAM MP Martin Horwood has spoken out today against the big barrage option for the Severn Estuary at the Liberal Democrat party conference in Bournemouth.

An alternative, the much smaller 'Shoots' barrage, in combination with tidal reefs and lagoons has been proposed by the Lib Dem Severn Tidal Power working group, who believe it will offer environmentally sustainable energy generation.

The combination of technologies, phased over time, would enable power generation over a staggered period of time and the reefs would generate a large amount of energy with very minimal environmental damage. This proposal would provide upwards of 8% of the UK's electricity needs.

Speaking on the motion, which was passed by the party, Martin said 'This imaginative solution that the Liberal Democrats have proposed is a triple win. It will generate just as much electricity as the big barrage, without the environmental damage to eco-systems and because some of the elements of the proposal can start generating electricity sooner, this will cut down our carbon emissions even more than the big barrage.

'We must of course make sure that we balance local and environmental concerns, and I believe this policy does just that. The big barrage would be an environmental disaster for the Severn Estuary'.