In the summer of 2018, the London Assembly Transport Committee recommended the establishment of a ‘River Ambassador’ to champion river transport.
Fast forward five and a half years and we find ourselves in a similar position. Having heard from a panel of experts as part of an investigation into the capital’s river transport services, the Transport Committee recently reached a similar conclusion – this time calling for the introduction of a ‘River Commissioner’.
While there has been noticeably increased activity on the Thames over the last few years, both on the passenger and freight fronts, it is evident that more is needed to untap the river’s potential.
Earlier in the year, BusinessLDN held a roundtable meeting with leading London businesses interested in the river and key river stakeholders, to help us shape key policy asks for the Thames ahead of the Mayoral and General Elections. There was clear consensus on the need for more accountability and strategic direction to help bring order to the current patchwork of decision makers, which was also one of the key takeaways from a panel session I was part of at the Thames and London Waterways Forum last November. It would also remove barriers to the expansion of river services and provide the support to allow London’s river transport network to grow.
So, what specifically can be done?
The key recommendations that emerged from this BusinessLDN river roundtable were:
- Create a senior position to provide city-wide leadership on issues relating to river transport;
- Enable the provision of sufficient land to support the expansion of water freight;
- Deliver the recommendations of the London Sustainable Drainage Action Plan;
- Work with the private sector to identify funding solutions to maintain and improve flood resilience infrastructure and river connectivity; and
- Agree a price support mechanism for low carbon fuels for river vessels to make them commercially viable.
I strongly believe awareness of the value of river services needs to be increased and real-time passenger information about these services should be provided and appropriately integrated within the rest of the capital’s transport offering.
Let’s start considering the river as part of the solution to London’s transport challenges
The river is one of London’s most iconic features, but it is currently under-utilised and underdeveloped; this needs to change to reach its full potential to carry passengers and to enable the transfer of freight from road to river in the interests of reducing traffic levels and playing a part in responding to the climate emergency.
Creating a dedicated role akin to London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, which has been an excellent focal point for all matters related to active travel, could provide a focus to co-ordinate strategies and drive growth on the river.
As we navigate through post-pandemic changes to our travel patterns, whoever wins the Mayoral election should aim to prioritize the Thames as a viable alternative transport option. A senior GLA position, with appropriate resources and governance, could magnify the river’s opportunities. Given its capacity for both passenger and freight transport, the river could alleviate some of the pressure on the rest of the capital’s transport network – anyone who has been recently affected by delays caused by Central line’s ‘knackered’ rolling stock would certainly resonate with this.
We need to see the Thames as more than just a scenic backdrop. The river is a practical solution to London’s transport challenges and it is time for us all to start considering it as a genuine alternative for travel and moving freight across the capital.