THE Isle of Wight is flying the flag for its clean coastline after achieving the most Blue Flag and Seaside awards in England.
Beaches at Sandown, Yaverland, Ventnor and Colwell picked up Blue Flag Awards, after meeting a new “excellent” standard for cleanliness, safety and water quality required under the new EU Bathing Waters Directive.
Thirteen island beaches collected a new Seaside Award, taking the place of last year’s Quality Coast Award, which officially recognises them as the most attractive coastal destinations.
As well as meeting the required standards for the awards, beaches also had to provide information to beach users advising where they can obtain real-time information on discharges from nearby combined sewage overflows, if that discharge could temporarily affect the bathing water quality.
Tougher standards meant only 55 English beaches achieved Blue Flags this year, which was down on last year’s total of 79.
Shanklin beach was among the ones that lost its flag.
Blue Flag award winners Sandown, IOW Yaverland, IOW Ventnor, IOW Colwell, IOW Hayling Island Beach, Havant Seaside award winners Sandown, IOW Ventnor, IOW Yaverland, IOW Cowes, IOW East Cowes, IOW Springvale, IOW Seagrove, IOW Gurnard, IOW Ryde East, IOW St Helens, IOW Totland, IOW Shanklin, IOW Colwell, IOW
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