Worcester's seasoned river watchers would have put money on the Severn breaching its banks yesterday.

Given the amount of water swamping the country at the moment, it seemed a pretty safe bet that Worcester's capricious waterway would have some part to play in the proceedings.

Unfortunately, the Environment Agency didn't see it that way.

Using all the scientific equipment at its disposal, it monitored the situation and decided there was no call for the flood barriers that had been designed at great expense to protect Hylton Road from floodwater.

Bad decision.

As a result of the agency's inaction, commuters found this major route into the city had become part of the river overnight and they'd have been better off in a boat than a car.

The agency says it didn't put the barriers up because it didn't expect the river to rise so high. But surely it would have been better to be safe than sorry? After all, the barriers have gone up in the past with less provocation than this.

The agency also says its main aim was to protect people and property, and Hylton Road was way down its list of priorities. But what is the point of having a barrier if the resources are not available to actually put it up?

The people of Worcester are right to question the role of the Environment Agency in the swamping of Hylton Road, which has caused great disruption and cost the city money.

The agency says it will learn lessons from the events of the past few days.

Let's hope that if the flooding recedes over the next day or so, its staff will rush to put up the barriers before the waters wash in again.