Clean beach ‘crucial for Weston’s success’, says local MP

WESTON-super-Mare MP and Tourism Minister John Penrose has welcomed the Government’s announcement of a £4billion investment to improve the quality of bathing water at 160 sites across the country, including Weston’s beach.

Earlier last week, Mr Penrose spoke to the new Minister responsible for the Marine Environment, Richard Benyon MP, and asked him for urgent action to improve water quality at key tourist beaches like Weston.

Although Weston beach meets water quality standards set by the Environment Agency at the moment, it could fail when stricter European standards are introduced in 2015.

The seaside MP believes this would be disastrous for the town’s tourism industry.

Over the last two years he’s been talking to the Environment Agency, Wessex Water and North Somerset Council to resolve the problem.

John said: “I’m delighted that the government is committed to improving the quality of bathing water at our beach.

"Although the quality hasn’t declined, the new European standards are much tighter so Weston needs to improve still further.

“Weston’s seafront is undergoing a dramatic transformation with a new promenade, pier and pier square.

"But all this hard work and investment could be endangered if tourists thought Weston’s beach wasn’t clean enough for swimming.

“Tourism is a vital part of Weston’s economy and we need to do everything we can to boost it. I’m delighted that Weston, and other seaside towns like it, are going to be brought up to the highest standards.”