Updated:
Monday, December 19, 2005 9:49
We have completed moving shingle from the south side of Sovereign Harbour round
to the north east beach. As far as we were concerned it was a trouble-free operation.
Drivers were regularly reminded to stick to speed limits both on the public
road and the self-imposed ones whilst on the beach. If you feel otherwise, please
let me know and we will try to revise our working practices to minimise inconvenience
if it is possible. In an average year we expect to have to undertake this work
twice – for four/five days on each occasion – probably in December/January
and again in March. In any case work is confined to the period from October
to March. It only becomes available when SW storms drive shingle on to the harbour
arm, and if it is not removed regularly it is lost in the harbour entrance channel.
During the work we removed some of the shingle build-up from the narrow beach
on the inside of the harbour. If this material is not removed it eventually
works its way northwards along channel and eventually would block the entrance
to the lock gates. We will try to do this without disturbing the majority of
the shingle plants that have started to colonise parts of the shingle strip,
though some will be inevitable, for instance where the machines have to access
the beach and where shingle is loaded into lorries.
Current weather forecasts show a return to gentle SW winds early next week after
a cold weekend. As Christmas approaches it seems that high pressure will again
build over the south giving mainly dry settled weather. If this is the case
then there should be no need for any machines to be working on the beach over
the holiday period. It is likely that a bulldozer will work at Sovereign Harbour
from 28th-30th as normal, and it will be working next week as usual.
In the New Year we expect to undertake the next round of recycling, when dump
trucks will move shingle along the beach. Unless there is a dramatic change
in the weather this will not start until 9th January 2006 and will probably
involve two/three days in areas regularly recycled.
So, all things being equal, we should be able to leave you in peace until next
year.
I hope you have a happy, peaceful and prosperous holiday period.
Best wishes
Ian
Ian Thomas
Project Manager
Pevensey Coastal Defence Ltd
Environment Agency Depot
Coast Road
Pevensey Bay
East Sussex BN24 6ND
Tel: 01323 761202
Fax: 01323 764368
Mob: 07884 234298
email: pcdl@pevensey-bay.co.uk
Updated:
Monday, December 19, 2005 9:49