Government's new plan to stop sewage spills is branded a 'joke' and a 'license to pollute'

The Conservative government's new plan for Tackling Britain's sewage overflow crisis with targets for water companies to make improvements by 2035 has been called a "cruel joke" and a "license to pollute".

>

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced on Friday that water companies will be required to invest £56 billion in capital over the next 25 years in the aim to tackle pollution.

Companies will also be required to 'improve' the way they handle all sewage overflows discharged next to bathing waters by 2035, and improve improve 75% of overflows in the best natural sites.

The government claimed to introduce the 'toughest targets ever', but Labor called the plan 'weak' and said it would not prevent not water companies treat Britain's beaches and rivers like 'an open sewer'.

The Liberal Democrats also ridiculed Defra's assertion, saying the new deadlines were in more time. decade and have done nothing to pay water company bonuses and profits.

The opposition party has also estimated that by 2030 there will still be 325,000 landfills. wastewater per year into UK waterways under the new 'fragile' scheme, only a slight reduction from current levels.

Recommended Wastewater: English Politicians hit UK over Channel 'dump' Hundreds of coastal overflow sites 'not included' in UK government's remediation planThe Prime Minister's father, Stanley Johnson, accuses the government for pumping sewage into the waterways bri tannic

“This government plan is a license to pump sewage onto our beaches and into our precious rivers and lakes,” said Lib Dems environmental scientist Tim Farron. okesperson.

The senior MP added: "By the...