The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is bringing together major partners to kickstart work to reverse years of damage to London’s waterways and deliver vital new funding for the capital’s rivers.
Sadiq will host a landmark roundtable today involving the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), Ofwat, the Environment Agency, Thames Water, charities, business and campaigners who share the Mayor’s ambition to transform London’s rivers over the next 10 years.
Sadiq’s plans are backed by multi-BAFTA-winning TV presenter and writer Steve Backshall MBE.
Today the Mayor is announcing £7.15 million of funding from City Hall and TfL to help prevent road runoff pollution from entering waterways and help reduce flood risk.
Runoff pollution occurs when pollutants – such as fertiliser, oil, pesticides, dirt and bacteria – are washed into rivers and streams when it rains.
This is a particular issue in urban areas, where runoff pollution entering waterways can significantly degrade water quality, impact recreational activities, and kill aquatic life. The Mayor’s new funding will also support cleaner waterways through large scale rewilding, and provide funding from the Green Roots Fund for community groups, charities and others to deliver nature projects for waterways.
The roundtable will also be attended by Thames Water, who are announcing a new injection of over £1.8 billion across the next five years to protect and improve river health in London.
This investment will include plans to support a new programme to tackle 26 sewage overflows on the Roding, Wandle, Lee and Brent – building on the work of the landmark Tideway project, now that the 25km tunnel is fully activated.
A further commitment to the Mayor’s vision has been made by London Wildlife Trust, who are investing £800,000 over the next two years for river and nature recovery projects with local communities across the capital. London Wildlife Trust will be working closely with the Mayor to maximise the benefits of these environment enhancements for London’s people and wildlife. This is aligned with Sadiq’s Green Roots Fund which allows councils and communities to bid for funding to pay for trees, wildflower meadows, parklets and other new green spaces.
Recent years have seen the successful reintroduction of beavers in Ealing and Enfield, while a new water vole reintroduction site led by the South East Rivers Trust on the Hogsmill River is creating sustainability for the whole population of water voles along the length of the river. Sadiq hopes these projects will be just the start of a nature revival in London so that waterways in the capital are soon teeming with beavers, water voles, eels, otters, mayflies and more.
The Mayor is determined to ensure that waterways are opened up for all communities, regardless of race and socio-economic status. For many, London’s waterways offer an escape – but research published today suggests not all Londoners currently feel the benefits. Only a quarter believe rivers are very or somewhat clean and healthy, and access is unequal.
While 29 per cent of Londoners say that they visit natural spaces weekly, those from lower-income backgrounds and Black or Asian communities are far less likely to do so. The new polling also found Londoners are deeply concerned about the state of their waterways, with sewage pollution, plastic waste and wildlife decline among their top worries when it comes to issues facing waterways.
The Mayor’s London Open Water Swimming Guide was launched in September to help Londoners find out where they can currently swim outdoors and highlight where it might be possible in the future. [5] There has been recent progress in areas such as Southwark, where swimmers can now try open water swimming sessions at Greenland Dock, near Canada Water.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “London’s rivers have been neglected and damaged for far too long, with shameful levels of pollution entering our rivers in recent years. I’m pleased to be working with a coalition of partners across the sector on a major plan to turn things around.
“We have made great progress in cleaning our air in London, and I’m committed to doing the same with our rivers. Together we can make our rivers something that every Londoner can be proud of as we continue to build a greener, fairer, better London for everyone.”
Baroness Sue Hayman, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: “London’s rivers are vital for people and wildlife, and I welcome the Mayor’s efforts to clean them up. This supports the Government’s commitment to improving waterways nationwide for the environment and communities.
“This work will build on the decisive action already taken by this government through our landmark Water Act – placing water companies under tough special measures, banning bonuses for polluting water bosses, and enforcing tougher criminal charges for those who break the law.
“This is alongside securing £104 billion in private sector investment to upgrade our infrastructure, drive economic growth, and create thousands of jobs.”
Explorer, TV presenter and author Steve Backshall MBE said: “I’ve enjoyed kayaking on the Thames for more than 25 years but the scale of river pollution, especially in recent years, is nothing short of shocking.
“I strongly believe that our waterways should be something that our country is proud of, so I’m delighted that the Mayor of London is taking ambitious action to improve the capital’s waterways. Sadiq’s investment and dedication will help unlock the full potential of London’s rivers for people of all backgrounds to enjoy, and support wildlife too.”
