24 May 2023

BBC Travel piece Few visitors know that London has 640km of waterways – and there’s a serious movement taking place to restore these “blue corridors” to their former glory. Though most visitors to London think only of the River Thames, the city is a myriad of waterways. Old maps show a skein of rivers and […]

23 Feb 2023

The Greater London Authority has released a map of locations of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) across London. London is outgrowing its drains and sewers. The combined sewer system originally built over 150 years ago by Joseph Bazalgette has served us well, but it was designed for a smaller city with more green surfaces. The combined […]

22 Dec 2022

Scientists replicated a 1964 River Thames survey and found that mussel numbers have declined by almost 95%, with one species – the depressed river mussel – completely gone.  The detailed study measured the change in size and number of all species of mussel in a stretch of the River Thames near Reading between 1964 and […]

20 Oct 2022

Homes across London remain at risk of being flooded by effluvia as a result of the capital’s Victorian sewage system and heavy rainfall, the BBC has reported.     The London Flood Review concluded current infrastructure is unfit for purpose, especially in extreme weather. Downpours last July, equivalent to two months’ of rain within two […]

09 Aug 2022

Recycled materials specialist GRS is celebrating the delivery to London of its first ever shipment of low-carbon construction aggregates made from Cornish clay mine waste. Announcing the news, GRS said its first sea shipment of construction aggregates marked the start of a long-term deal which would see it transport more than half a million tonnes […]

13 Jul 2022

The independent London Flood Review commissioned by Thames Water examining the severe flooding that affected many parts of London in July 2021 has now concluded and has been published. The release of the investigation’s final report marks the fourth and final publication from the London Flood Review (LFR). It summarises the review findings and puts […]

26 Jan 2021

From Rewilding Britain Thanks to significant river restoration projects, kingfisher sightings in the capital have increased by 450% since 2000. London has 400 miles of riverways, three-quarters of which are encased below ground in concrete and metal tubes. Since 2000, more than 20 miles have been restored. These rewilding efforts have also seen an increase […]

13 Jan 2020

From Environment Analyst Roads where heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) regularly apply their brakes are often the worst affected, around junctions, roundabouts and traffic lights. A new study has highlighted road runoff pollution as one of the main sources of damage to London’s waterways. The cause is spills of oil, diesel and petrol and particulates from […]