AXA wants £700m to improve surface drainage
- Published: 21 July 2008 15:16
- Author: Lucy Craymer
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- Last Updated: 21 July 2008 15:59
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Axa Insurance has described the UK Government's £800 million commitment to flood issues as inadequate, arguing that an additional investment is needed to improve surface drainage.
The insurance group has commissioned research into the amount required and found that an extra £720 million needed to be spent across the 45 towns that were affected by last year's floods.
Axa Insurance claims division's managing director David Williams said: "More than 75 per cent of our flood claims in 2007 resulted from drainage issues."
Axa also wants local authorities to be made accountable for the infrastructure improvements required to improve surface water drainage.
The research commissioned by Axa was undertaken by a leading chartered environmental surveyor.
It also identified that local authorities have not established funding for surface drainage planning despite the heavy flooding last year.
