Dartmoor gets £150k for flood repairs

Dartmoor National Park to receive a £150,000 of funding for urgent repairs following the winter storms and flooding, the government announced today.

The funding will be used to repair the numerous footpaths and bridleways damaged in the storms and  drainage infrastructure will be restored.

The funding is the largest single share from a governmental pot of nearly £400,000 set aside for the national parks worst affected by the severe winter weather.

Exmoor is set to receive the second largest sum of £99,197 in order to repair the severe flooding damage to paths and passengers

Environment Minister Lord de Mauley said: “Our National Parks are the jewels in the crown of our precious natural environment – this investment will ensure they remain so.

“Given each pound spent by National Parks on recreation provides £4 of wider benefit, it is essential to get our Parks back to the highest standards ahead of the busy tourism period.

In November, prior to the major flood and storm damage Dartmoor reported that torrential rain in 2012 had left 40 routes in a poor or dangerous condition across the moor.

This nearly doubled the amount needed by the park to effectively repair the routes to over £100,000.