creating a better place Environment 15 June 2015 Agency Mr J. P Ellery Her Majesty's Senior Coroner for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Area H.M. Coroner' s Service 3rd Floor Guildhall Frankwell Quay Shrewsbury Sy3 8HQ Iex El) Re: Daniel Lee Hodgin deceased Inquest 14 April 2015 at the Coroner's Court; Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury Thank you for your letter of 20 April enclosing a report under Regulation 28 of the Coroners' (Investigation) Rules 2013. was very sorry to hear of Mr Hodgin's death and, on behalf of Environment Agency, extend my condolences to his family. You express concern in your report that clear system was established whereby the Environment Agency notified, or was required to notify, Shropshire Council as to the water level or likelihood of the water level reaching 1.95 meters at the Welsh Bridge gauge. Our response is as follows: The Environment Agency is a non- departmental public body, established by the Environment Act
1995. It undertakes a wide range of activities to protect and enhance the environment under statutory powers and duties. These include a flood and coastal risk management role_ This flood and coastal risk management role includes a statutory power to provide and operate flood warning systems under section 166 of the Water Resources Act 1991. The purpose of the flood warning system we operate is to reduce the impact and effects of flooding on people and property. A direct warning service is offered to some communities when flooding is possible or expected. We send messages directly to those who sign up for this service by a text message or phone call to the numbers they have provided: A 'Flood Alert' will be issued to customers in Shrewsbury for the River Severn in Shropshire when the river level monitoring gauge at Welsh Bridge is forecast to exceed a level of 2.7m ALD (At Local Datum) Environment Agency

Horizon House, Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 SAH Tel: 01903 832268 WWW gov uklenvironment-agency Executive Assistant to Jonathan Robinson: Michele Perry michele perry@environment-agency gov.uk INVESTOR IN PFOPLE the "No

. is the lowest threshold of direct warning for town which was agreed historically in consultation with the Shrewsbury Flood Forum. It is when roads, homes and businesses start to get affected by flooding in the town: generally We understand that people and organisations in Shrewsbury and elsewhere along the river Severn may be interested in a wider range of water levels. These interests include boat owners, marinas or operators of infrastructure such as Shropshire Council: We operate a live river level service on the internet for this purpose We have spoken to Shropshire County Council to help them make full use of the information that we provide: We have produced a technical note for the council, to them implement system for closing the gate at Dorset Street using the live information we put on the internet_ briefing note is enclosed with this letter: Y Jonathan Robinson Executive Director Resources & Legal Services Enc: Technical Briefing Note: Dorset Street Gate, Shrewsbury Environment Agency Horizon House, Deanery Road, Bristol, BS1 5AH

Tel: 01903 832268 WWwgov uklenvironment-agency Executive Assistant to Jonathan Robinson: Michele Perry- michele perry@environment-= agency gOv.uk This the briefing help The axil

Dear Mr Ellery Mr Daniel Lee Hodgin Coroner's Regulation 28 Report Inquest 14th April 2015 at the Coroners Court; Shirehall, Shrewsbury Further to your letter of 20th April 2015 and the attached Regulation 28 Report sent for Shropshire Councils attention. Firstly apologise for the delay in this report There have been a number of things to resolve in order to respond as fully as can: There are still some matters that require further consideration: During the course of the inquest into the death of Mr Daniel Lee Hodgin of 14th April 2015 at the Coroners Court; Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury, you found evidence that gave rise to concerns_ Those concerns reproduced below for ease of reference: The matters of concern are as follows: - (1) According to a Shropshire Council plan of the Dorset Street area the gate at Dorset Street leading to the towpath should have been closed and locked when the water level at the Welsh Bridge gauge reached 1.95 meters_ (2) At between Sam and 6am on the 23rd November 2014 when the deceased most likely entered the water; the level at the Welsh Bridge gauge was recorded at between 2.00 and
1.99 meters_ (3) Had the been closed and locked the deceased would have been unable to pass through: wwWshropshire govuk OISABLEQ General Enquiries: 0345 678 9000 Printed on recycled paper gate Abo

No clear system was established whereby the Environment Agency notified, or was required to notify, Shropshire Council as to the water level or likelihood of the water level reaching 1.95 meters at the Welsh Bridge gauge. The Council's instruction to close and lock the at Dorset Street was bound to fail, there being no effective system in please to achieve the same (5) River safety in Shrewsbury has been a matter of concern for some time. In 2010 made what were then two Regulation 43 Reports to Shropshire Council in respect of alcohol related deaths_ (6) The concerns raised here not only affect those adversely affected by alcohol but anyone who may be unfamiliar with the area when the river is in flood and is dangerously high covering the towpath. For completeness, and this does not directly concern the Environment Agency, there was a recent reported incident of a pram being blown into the River Severn where the towpath was unprotected by railings_ Following the issue of the Regulation 28 Report discussions have taken place with a number of parties who have an input into insuring river safety in Shrewsbury and with the Environment Agency with respect to the issues of concern and in particular item 4. Historically, the Environment Agency issues a 'Flood Alert' when river levels at the Welsh Bridge monitoring gauge are forecast to exceed 2.7meters. It is at this level and above that road closures need to start to be implemented. Warnings are not issued below 2.7 meters. The Environment Agency have; however; been looking at the relationship between river levels at their Montford Bridge river level gauge and the Welsh Bridge gauge_ We have asked that work to levels of 1.6 meters at the Welsh Bridge gauge, to be on the cautious side. Their analysis indicates that when levels reach 2.78 meters at Montford Bridge, then the levels will exceed 1.6 meters at the Welsh Bridge within 4 to 8 hours. The Environment Agency is unable, at this time, to provide flood warnings for levels of 1.6 meters , but do have regularly updated "river levels" shown on their website_ Shropshire Council have engaged the services of local software company to assist in taking the information the website and generating automatic "alerts when levels reach 2.78 meters at the Montford Bridge gauge_ At the time of this reply to the Regulation 28 Report this development work has not been completed It is our intention to send SMS (text) message to; the Central Highways Emergency Phone (operated 24 hours 365 days per year by a Highways Technician, who is familiar with all gate locations on the River Severn in Shrewsbury and the closure procedures), the Police Control Room, Shropshire Councils Emergency Planning Unit on call phone and the Shropshire Council Car Park Commissioner. It is believed that through this process the necessary people will get notification to ensure timely closure of the gates, before the towpath is to be submerged in flood waters_ gate they they from day _ likely

The closure of the gates is only part of the issue surrounding river safety and through consideration of previous Regulation 43 Reports to Shropshire Council and our desire to continually improve safety, Shropshire Council continue to review river safety. In January this year_ visited the river in the evening with the Police Chief Inspector, Town Centre Inspector and the Town Clerk for Shrewsbury Town Council, It was felt that these are the parties which might work more effectively together to improve river safety The Town Council provide the lighting along the towpath: At that time we had developed an embryonic Team Shrewsbury" approach to protecting public realm, addressing issues such as; drugs misuse antisocial behaviour; environmental crime and other criminal activity, by working more closely together. It was felt that river safety leant itself to this approach: specific River Safety action plan was developed and is being implemented. The team meet weekly on an Operational basis, monthly as a Tactical Group and quarterly as a Strategic Group_ The membership of each group varies in line with the outcomes sought: A Senior Officer from one of the three principal members attends the Operations Meeting, most attend Tactical meetings and all the Strategic ones_ River safety is a standing agenda item: There is also a specific River Safety meeting following the Strategic meeting which is attended by the Town Centre Inspector; Town Clerk and myself: It is felt that this brings together the necessary people to share or call on resources to improve safety, for example can involve Shropshire Councils Licencing team, if it was perceived there is a particularly problem premises, it also provides governance around river safety decisions. From concern numbered 6 from your Regulation 28 Report it is understood that consideration be given to additional barriers the towpath: The area of particular concern; to both yourself and myself;, is the length from the English Bridge down to the Weir. My concerns are raised further with the development of a University in the town, particularly as properties in the Castlefields area lend themselves to student accommodation; To this end have requested a structural report on the integrity of the towpath facing wall: We have had a collapse in another part of town and have to undertake regular maintenance on this section of most concern; With that information we can determine what is possible or what needs to be done to make it possible In the meantime we have reviewed the existing provision and added or improved barriers as felt necessary_ If we were to increase the provision of barriers we would need to consider the implications that we would have_ This is an extremely well used level route, used by cyclists and pedestrians from a centre of population to the heart of the town_ It avoids the hill up into the town and keeps people away from vehicle emmissions. Whenever it is closed am under tremendous pressure from Councillors and the public alike to get it open before we have had a chance to clean silt and debris from the path. With barriers , removal of debris, particularly large trees, would take longer, extending any closures. Barriers would be vulnerable to damage from floating trees in times of flood, with maintenance extending closures. However with an informed engineering judgement we can balance all the conflicting requirements. am afraid will have to report further once have the structural report: along put again

In addition to the above we are looking to provide CCTV cameras, one looking up from the Railway Bridge to the English Bridge, one looking down the Weir: These will be high resolution cameras that feed into the CCTV Control Room and will be fitted with alerts that can be set to identify loitering on the towpath and hopefully will be provided with software that is capable of spotting potential bodies in the river and monitor river levels . This will happen in tandem with the work on the Environmental Agency monitoring gauges We are in early discussions with the suppliers but are confident will be able to deliver this_ The Town Council are halfway through a programme of upgrading the light and have increased the number of columns (there are now at 27 meters centres rather than 50 meters) and will be fitted with LED lanterns, which will provide a white light rather than the yellow of the traditional SOx lamps, which will be easier to see at night with a better definition of the towpath edge because of the improved colour rendition. The structural report is not yet completed, once am in possession of that | will update you immediately. hope the proposals for dealing with alarms, when levels are likely to cause flooding of the towpath , will mean that there is adequate notification to allow existing gates to be closed_ trust the above is of assistance and helps to address the concerns raised in your Regulation 28 Report: If you wish to discuss this further or there is anything else can do to assist, please do not hesitate to contact me directly in the number below_