Yahoo News Blue Flag awards for North East beaches hailed 'an incredible achievement'
Beaches across the North East have cleaned up at annual awards which sees Blue Flag status awarded to several locations, including to Tynemouth Longsands for a remarkable 30 years in a row.
The environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy announced the winners of its Blue Flag and Seaside Awards on Wednesday morning and they include five beaches across North Tyneside and Sunderland; singled out as being amongst the highest quality in the UK. And the news will be particularly welcome, coming ahead of the busy summer season when visitors flock to the coast.
What's more, it's a repeat of last year's success. North of the Tyne, King Edward's Bay and Whitley Bay join Tynemouth Longsands in once again earning the prestigious Blue Flag and Seaside Awards status in recognition of their cleanliness and seafront management. Longsands has retained its award for three decades now and since winning its first Blue Flag in 1994, its consistent standards have seen it earn its reputation as one of the UK’s premier coastal destinations.
In Sunderland, those flags will be flying at Roker and Seaburn which are also enjoying repeat success. The beaches are also two of just 61 sites to receive both the Blue Flag and Seaside Award.
These awards go only to coastal spots with the highest standards of cleanliness, facilities, safety, environmental education and management. Blue Flags, which are internationally recognised, are awarded to beaches whose water quality has achieved the highest classification - 'excellent' - as set by the EU Bathing Water Directive and which have an environmental education programme.
Testing of bathing waters is carried out by the Environment Agency during the May 25 to September 30 bathing season. To win a Seaside Award, the best beaches must meet a 'sufficient' standard and have, for instance, lifeguards where necessary; information displays about local eco-systems and litter management in place.
Besides this year's 61 winners of both awards, 13 locations have also achieved a Blue Flag and 76 beaches a Seaside Award.
Coun Hannah Johnson, North Tyneside's cabinet member for the environment, said visitors to the area from across the UK and overseas immediately recognise the significance of the awards. "It lets them know that our beaches are safe, clean and well-maintained," she said.
“The awards are a source of immense pride for us and I would like to thank our staff and volunteers for their continued work in helping to retain the awards all these years. It’s an incredible achievement and has helped to establish North Tyneside as one of the premier beach destinations in the country."
Marc Morley, Sunderland City Council’s director of environmental services, said: “Flying these flags at Roker and Seaburn shows visitors that our seafront is a safe, clean and well-managed space and that it meets the high standards necessary to be awarded a blue flag.
“Sunderland has a beautiful coastline but winning these awards is testament to the hard work of everyone who works to maintain our beaches and keep them clean, including the residents and visitors who look after the environment and tidy up after themselves.”
Allison Ogden-Newton, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, called the awards a credit to the collective efforts of beach managers, volunteers, residents and businesses "who have worked tirelessly to maintain, protect and improve some of our best-loved and most popular beaches" and she added: "We’d like to take this moment to recognise and applaud them.
“Visitors to a beach flying a Blue Flag can be assured the beach will be clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well as international bathing water quality standards."
She added: “The Blue Flag is the world’s most recognised award for beaches and marinas and, to qualify, each applicant must meet and maintain a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria. Seaside Awards are presented to the best beaches in England and celebrate the quality and diversity of our coastline.”
