City Hall officials stress the importance of clear safety messaging for Khan’s river plan
London: Sir Sadiq Khan is facing some serious warnings about his plan to make the Thames swimmable by 2034. Officials are worried that people might take the idea too literally and jump into the river, which can be really dangerous.
Last year, Khan was re-elected with a promise to clean up London’s rivers and make them safe for swimming. But during a recent meeting, a senior official from the Port of London Authority (PLA) raised concerns about how the media is portraying this plan.
Grace Rawnsley, the PLA’s sustainability director, pointed out that they’ve worked hard to reduce the number of deaths in the Thames. In 2023 alone, there were 31 fatalities related to swimming in the tidal Thames, which is a big deal.
She emphasized that while they don’t completely ban swimming between Teddington Lock and Putney Bridge, they definitely don’t encourage it. East of Putney Bridge, swimming is a no-go due to strong tides that can easily overpower even the best swimmers.
Rawnsley also mentioned that the Thames is the busiest inland waterway in the UK, with tons of ships and events happening all the time. So, safety is a big concern.
A spokesperson for Khan responded, saying that while the tidal Thames isn’t safe for swimming, the mayor is committed to cleaning it up so Londoners can enjoy nature safely. They’re working with the PLA to improve the situation.
In September, Khan’s office even released a map showing safe swimming spots, clearly stating that the tidal Thames isn’t one of them. Instead, they recommend places like Hampstead Ponds and the Serpentine in Hyde Park.
The mayor’s main goal is to improve water quality in London’s rivers and support wildlife. His team is pushing Thames Water to fix sewage spills and is looking into natural solutions to filter the water.
