London's Rivers to be Cleaned up And Waterway Habitats Restored
- 2 minutes ago
- 2 min read
A 10-year plan to clean up some of London's rivers and waterways has been announced by mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, who says they have suffered from "decades of neglect and pollution".
A total of £1.8 billion ($2.42 billion) has been pledged by water companies, boroughs and charities, with London's mayor adding £15 million. The Clean Rivers and Waterways initiative pledges to stop pollution while ensuring nature can thrive.
"Habitats that should support otters, kingfishers, water voles, fish and other wildlife have been damaged by sewage, road run-off, litter and decades of underinvestment," says Sir Sadiq. "The impact has been felt by nature and by Londoners, particularly those communities that already experience the greatest environmental inequality. I firmly believe access to nature is an issue of social justice. Through this ambitious plan we will work with partners to tackle pollution, restore nature and open up new swimming and recreation opportunities, improving access to help Londoners enjoy and reconnect with their waterways.”
The initiative will focus on 10 key locations stretching from Croydon to Waltham Forest, creating and restoring 550 hectares (1,359 acres) of waterway habitat and 80km (50 miles) of rivers.
“We will clean up London’s rivers in the same way we cleaned up our toxic air, bringing about lasting change as we work to build a greener, fairer city for everyone,” the mayor added. He is already credited with significantly cleaning London's air after creating an Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) covering Greater London. The zone measures 580 square miles (1,500km2) and covers nine million people, making it the largest zone of its kind in the world. Roadside nitrogen dioxide pollution levels have now dropped by 54 percent in central London and 27 percent overall.