Question No: 2024/3636
Question (Thomas Turrell AM): 21st November 2024
How will the swimmable rivers initiative be funded and are there any circumstances which you foresee this being over budget?
Answer (Sadiq Khan): 26th November 2024
In the Mayor’s second term, grant programmes such as Grow Back Greener, Green and Resilient and Rewild London Funds supported relevant projects. Around 31 projects were delivered for rivers and waterways, worth almost £11 million and restoring or creating habitat for 3.7km of river and over 55 hectares of priority waterways. Officers are currently developing programmes for this term and have provided advice on what can be delivered within available budgets.
Delivering a London-wide plan for clean and healthy rivers will take commitment from many organisations. The GLA will work in partnership with the key organisations who have responsibility for water bodies, including Thames Water, the Environment Agency and Boroughs, to achieve this.
Question No: 2024/3637
Question (Thomas Turrell AM): 21st November 2024
What specific opportunities exist for businesses to partner with the city on your swimmable rivers initiative?
Answer (Sadiq Khan): 26th November 2024
Challenge LDN brings together innovators with London’s public, private and third sectors to co-design solutions to the city’s complex challenges.
The Technology and Innovation team are exploring an opportunity for a new challenge and are working with Adaptation team officers to look at how open innovation could be utilised to enable private sector organisations - including innovative SMEs, corporates, investors and academia - to co-develop, test and scale solutions addressing key environmental challenges faced by London and its residents.
They are speaking with organisations who might be interested in shaping and engaging with a new innovation challenge, which aims to enhance London's climate resilience and boost its dynamic CleanTech sector.
Question No: 2024/3638
Question (Thomas Turrell AM): 21st November 2024
Given the recent cancellation of the Boulter’s to Bray Swim in Maidenhead due to sewage concerns, what immediate action have you taken to address these pollution issues and ensure the swimmable rivers goal is met by 2034?
Answer (Sadiq Khan): 26th November 2024
Action is already underway as the plan is developed to support cleaner and healthier waterways. I am already championing working with nature. I have already funded many projects to bring wildlife back to London’s waterways, including successfully reintroducing beavers in Ealing and Enfield and planting reedbeds along the Old River Lea.
I have invested over £30m for green space and tree planting projects across London, providing shade and making the city greener and cooler for people and animals to enjoy as our climate changes, beavers building dams, reedbeds filtering out pollution, and trees absorbing flood water.
London has achieved the 10km river restoration target early, The red stars on the 2023 River Restoration Opportunity Map highlights case studies of work achieved.
However, I cannot do this alone and I will be working with partners to deliver further improvements to create cleaner and healthier waterways.
Question No: 2024/3641
Question (Thomas Turrell AM): 21st November 2024
Are there any borough-specific challenges or opportunities that need to be addressed to make London’s rivers swimmable?
Answer (Sadiq Khan): 26th November 2024
Rivers are essential to the health of our natural environment, yet none of London’s 41 river water bodies is classed as ‘good’ – three are ‘bad’, five are ‘poor’ and the rest are ‘moderate’ under the Water Framework Directive. They are affected by a variety of pollution issues including sewer overflows, misconnections and road runoff. My river health webpages highlights where some of those issues are a priority.
Action is already being taken by City Hall and London boroughs to address these issues. The GLA Regeneration Team has commenced the Civic Partnership Programme (CPP), providing £12.4 m funding five projects to transform public spaces and deliver environmental improvements. Two have a focus on water, the Ilford Arrival led by the London Borough of Redbridge which creates new river access across the River Roding and the Riverdale Sculpture Park, which the London Borough of Lewisham is leading and restores a section of river.
