What will it take to make London’s rivers swimmable?
In his 2024 election manifesto, the Mayor committed to “Develop a bold plan for swimmable rivers within 10 years.”1
However, with nearly 400 miles of waterway in Greater London,2 and responsibilities for managing and maintaining rivers falling to a number of different stakeholders, how achievable is this plan?
The London Assembly Environment Committee will meet tomorrow to speak with some of those stakeholders and other community groups about what needs to be done to make London’s waters swimmable.
Guests include:
Panel 1 – A ‘swimmable’ Thames? (10.00am – 11.15am):
- Grace Rawnsley, Director of Sustainability and Net Zero Transition, Port of London Authority
- Chris Romer-Lee, Co-founder, Studio Octopi, Thames Baths, Future Lidos – and Steering Group member, Swimmable Cities alliance.
- Marlene Lawrence, Founder of Teddington Bluetits
Panel 2 – Improving London’s rivers (11.20am – 12.30pm):
- Paul Powlesland, Founder, Friends of the River Roding and River Roding Trust
- John Bryden, Head of Improving Rivers, Thames21
- Cllr Louise Krupski, Deputy Mayor and Environment, Transport and Climate Action, Lewisham Council
The meeting will take place on Thursday 9 January from 10am in the Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.
Media and members of the public are invited to attend.
The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.
Follow us @LondonAssembly.
Notes to editors
- Sadiq Khan, Making London Greener, Manifesto for May 2024 election
- Thames21 River Partnerships in London
- Zack Polanski AM, Chair of the Environment Committee, is available for interview.
- Find out more about the work of the Environment Committee.
- Read the agenda in full.
- As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For more information, please contact Tony Smyth in the Assembly Media Office on 07763 251727 or [email protected]. For out of hours media enquiries please call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the Assembly duty press officer.