Bridlington Councillor Demands Urgent Protection For The Gypsey Race From Sewage Discharges

Calls are intensifying for better protection of the Gypsey Race in Bridlington, as local councillors warn that ongoing sewage discharges threaten one of East Yorkshire's rare chalk streams.

A Bridlington councillor is demanding stronger safeguards for the Gypsey Race, warning that ongoing storm overflow discharges pose a severe threat to one of East Yorkshire's most precious natural waterways.

The Gypsey Race, a rare chalk stream that meanders through the Yorkshire Wolds before emptying into the North Sea at Bridlington, is currently vulnerable to pollution from the local sewage network.

Councillor Tim Norman has raised significant concerns regarding the scope of a major infrastructure investment plan by Yorkshire Water. Despite a substantial financial commitment aimed at the local catchment area, he fears the measures will leave sections of the delicate aquatic environment entirely unprotected.

Councillor Tim Norman said:

"It has at least three points along its distance where there are Yorkshire Water combined sewer overflows into the chalk streams. Two of these are in Bridlington, but the third is all the way up at Burton Fleming.

In a recent meeting with Yorkshire Water regarding the investment which they're making of around about 100 million pounds into the Bridlington catchment, it became apparent that the intention is to just reduce the number of spills from combined sewer overflows to two per bathing season.

However at least one of these overflows into the Gypsey Race is not included in this funding.

There was no discussion also around the Burton Fleming discharges which obviously implies that Yorkshire Water are still going to continue to use these discharges as and when they feel fit."

The environmental impact of these overflows extends beyond the stream itself, potentially affecting coastal water quality. The current rating for the local seaside waters has been a point of contention, prompting appeals for immediate intervention from national authorities.

Councillor Tim Norman added:

"The bathing beach at Bridlington South is classified as sufficient, and we would contend that this is not sufficient and especially when these discharges continue into the Gypsey Race and therefore into the harbour and beyond.

We would urge members to show our commitment to protecting this fragile ecosystem and urge all ward members to pressure Yorkshire Water and DEFRA to cease the use of combined sewer overflows and sewage discharges into such fragile systems."

The push to safeguard the Gypsey Race aligns with a broader campaign across the region to secure greater recognition for local waterways. East Riding of Yorkshire Council recently backed a motion to nominate the area's chalk streams for UNESCO Natural World Heritage status.

Local politicians are urging the government to implement stricter controls on pollution and over-abstraction, noting that these unique ecosystems are heavily concentrated in England and face unprecedented threats.

Highlighting the scale of the issue, Councillor Philp Redshaw said:

"These are not ordinary rivers. Chalk streams are a globally rare. Around 85% of them are found in England. These include the Gypsey Race, Driffield Beck, Foston Beck, West Beck including Driffield trout stream. That place is a particular responsibility on us as custodians of something that is internationally important. These streams are under pressure. In 2023 alone, there were 48,829 hours of sewage discharged into chalk streams across England. That figure should give us all time to pause. Because once the ecological balance of a chalk stream is lost, it is extremely difficult to restore. "

Efforts to introduce new legislation are currently underway in Westminster, aiming to establish a framework for long-term conservation and improved transparency.

Councillor Philp Redshaw explained:

"There is some progress nationally. A Chalk Streams Protection Bill is currently going through parliament which amongst other things, aims to recognise chalk streams as a priority for protection, to strengthen safeguards around pollution and abstraction, and to support their long-term restoration. Alongside that there are proposals for a blue flag style accreditation for rivers that would prioritise chalk streams for enhanced water quality monitoring, stronger protection from sewage discharge, and greater public transparency. And these are all positive steps, but they will need clear support from local areas like ourselves to carry weight."

The ecological value of these waterways cannot be overstated, with local representatives comparing their significance to global tropical ecosystems.

Councillor Denise Howard said:

"Our chalk streams here in the East Riding are an absolutely vital part of the Yorkshire Wolds landscape. They are truly globally unique habitats and a stable home for brown trout, water vole, and kingfishers as well as a few other species. The vast majority of the world's chalk streams are in this country, and they are so ecologically important that some people consider them to be England's rainforests. Our chalk streams should be nominated as a natural World Heritage site, especially given that many of them are actually in decline. We need to be actively discouraging the abstraction of water from them. We need to be actively discouraging pollution of any kind, and we need to think about how we can protect them through the planning process. They need to be officially recognised as irreplaceable habitats, and development around them should be restricted."

These streams provide essential habitats for a wide range of wildlife, relying on specific geological conditions to maintain their pristine water flows.

Councillor Jeremy Wilcock said:

"Preserving East Yorkshire's chalk streams is very important because they are globally rare ecosystems. They are vital for biodiversity. They support exceptional biodiversity, providing a habitat for trout, water voles, and other species such as rare invertebrates including the white-clawed crayfish, and the southern damselfly. They depend on fragile chalk aquifers which feed streams with constant clear and cool water, spring water. They are part of East Yorkshire's natural identity, a defining feature of the region's landscape. They provide ecosystem services that benefit the public, whether it's natural water filtration, flood mitigation, or recreation and wellbeing, angling, walking, and wildlife watching. They are highly vulnerable to damage."

The local authority is now preparing to formalise its requests to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, seeking robust policy changes to protect these vulnerable environments.

Summarising the appeal to ministers, Councillor Philp Redshaw said:

"We are asking the council to write to the Secretary of State supporting the nomination of England's chalk streams as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. World Heritage status would recognise their international importance of these habitats. It would help unlock long-term protection and investment. And see that they're property valued on a national and a global stage. We are urging government to go further by recognising chalk streams as irreplaceable habitat in planning policy tackling sewage discharge and nutrient pollution, and ensuring suitable management of the chalk aquifer."