We have many miles of beautiful coastline to explore and enjoy but it is also some of the fastest eroding coast in western Europe. We urgently need your help to make sure that everyone stays safe when they visit the beach.
Please:
• Do stay away from the cliffs, they can be very unstable even if they look safe. It is extremely dangerous to walk close to cliffs or to climb them.
• Do take notice of any signs warning you of hazards, these have been put in place to help keep you and your loved ones safe.
• Do take notice of the tides. Some areas of beach along our coast are not as wide as they used to be and at high tide it is not possible to walk along them without walking close to the cliffs. This could be very dangerous if the cliff is unstable, even though it may look safe. This can be easily seen in places such as Pakefield, particularly close to the caravan park.
• Don’t walk on any defences which may have been placed on the beach. Not only is it dangerous to do so, you are damaging something which is there to help protect the local community from erosion.
• Do follow any diversion signs that help you navigate your walk onto safe paths and areas until you have passed any hazards
• Do enjoy our wonderful coast and all that it has to offer but do visit safely, stay safe and go home safe.
If you have any questions or notice something about our defences or cliffs that you think we should know about then email us at coastalmanagement@eastsuffolk.gov.uk
For further tips on staying safe at the coast visit:
Maritime Coastguard Agency
RNLI
HM Coastguard Sea Safety
Environment Agency's Flood Action Campaign:
In England there are over 5 million homes and businesses at risk of flooding[i]. The average cost of flooding to a home is around £30,000. Flooding also brings a significant risk to life.
The mental health impacts of flooding can last for two years or more after flooding has happened, and depression, anxiety and PTSD can affect up to a third of people who have been flooded.
But, crucially, taking steps to prepare for flooding, and knowing what to do in a flood can significantly reduce the damages to a home and possessions (by around 40%[ii]), reduce risk to life, and reduce the likelihood of suffering from mental health impacts in the future.
The Environment Agency's campaign is focused on helping people know what action to take in a flood, based on their 'Prepare. Act. Survive.' flood guide.