The Thames Vision Goals
Six goals are at the heart of the Thames Vision. Each one has priority actions to turn the Vision into reality. The Goals and actions are:
Port of London: more trade, more jobs
The busiest ever Port of London, handling 60 – 80 million tonnes of cargo each year, on the doorstep of Europe’s biggest metropolitan consumer market.
- Sustain private sector investment
- Improve navigational access to the port
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Improve rail and road access to port operations/terminals, including:
- Lower Thames Crossing downstream of Tilbury, by 2025
- At least three further Thames crossings to the east of Tower Bridge, that allow continuation of river trade; the first by 2022
- Widening of the A13, by the end of 2018
- Closure of level crossings affecting operational terminals, by 2020
- Deliver efficient, effective and sustainable PLA harbour and pilotage services to support growth
Inland Freight: more goods off roads onto the river
More goods and materials routinely moved between wharves on the river – every year over four million tonnes carried by water – taking over 400,000 lorry trips off the region’s roads.
- Double underlying intra-port freight to over 4 million tonnes
- Champion the Thames as a default choice for moving spoil and materials from infrastructure projects close to the river
- Maintain or reactivate viable cargo handling facilities, with at least five additional facilities brought into operation by 2025
- Extend the River Concordat to promote freight movements by water
- Develop the Thames Skills Academy to provide the skills needed on the Thames
Developments since Vision launch:
- Underlying intra-port freight in 2017: 3.38 million tonnes (+41%, compared to 2015 baseline: 2.39 million tonnes)
- Extensive work on London Plan Review, with the examination in public on the document due in early 2019
- Greater London Authority Safeguarded Wharves Review completed, with submission to Secretary of State expected by end of 2018
- Peruvian Wharf cleared and ready for occupation – due back into operation by early 2019
- Substantial investment by operators in new inland waterways vessels and barges
- Over 90% of boroughs now have policies or references to use of river for freight transport
- Securing stronger river-related policies in Local Plans River Concordat replaced by Thames & London Waterways Forum, with inland waterways freight goals and working group
- First group of 22 Thames Skills Academy apprentices in training
Passenger Transport: more journeys
Double the number of people travelling by river – reaching 20 million commuter and tourist trips every year.
- Make more efficient use of piers and river space, including new timetabling to manage peaks in traffic
- Innovate to achieve more passenger journeys at current low peak times
- Develop and implement a long-term pier strategy
- Convene a consultative forum to address issues of wash from growth in passenger transport
- Secure the infrastructure required for growth in the transport of passengers and goods on the Thames
Developments since Vision launch:
- Passenger trips in 2017: 10 million (-3%, compared to 2015 baseline: 10.3 million)
- Transport for London/London River Services leading development of a new Pier
- Strategy, in partnership with PLA and river operators
- Battersea Power Station Pier opened and operational
- New piers expected to open at Royal Wharf, Ordnance Wharf, Barking Riverside & Canary Wharf East
- New vessels brought into service by MBNA Thames Clippers and Thames
- River Services
- City Cruises vessel in for major refit; new, dedicated MBNA Thames Clippers charter boat in build
- Wash Forum established
Sport and Recreation: more participants
Greater participation in sport and recreation on and alongside the water.
- Ascertain current levels of sport participation and work towards increasing participation on and alongside the Thames
- Extend sport opportunity zones on the Thames
- Realise new visitor moorings and publicise the availability of all visitor moorings effectively
- Join up the Thames Path from source to sea
Developments since Vision launch:
- First Thames sports participation study identified strong baseline of activity and opportunities for increasing participation in the future
- Working with National Governing Bodies and east London clubs on strategy to boost participation
- Visitor mooring information expanded on PLA leisure website and mooring/marinas meeting established to link users with mooring providers
- A missing link in the Thames Path opened between Charlton and Woolwich
- Sport and recreation club best practice case studies being produced as part of outreach to boroughs promoting positive approach to
- development of watersports on the Thames
- Annual Foreshore Festival launched by Tideway, giving members of the public a chance to sample river-based recreational activities at Putney and Shadwell
Environment and Heritage: improved tidal Thames environment
The river the cleanest since the Industrial Revolution, with improved habitats and awareness of heritage.
- Build and bring into operation the Thames Tideway Tunnel by 2021
- Improve water quality by a range of measures including reduced litter in the river
- Improve biodiversity of sites recognised for their wildlife interest, and the connections between them
- Identify and improve access to, and appreciation of, the historic environment along the Thames
- Encourage uptake of new and green technologies to reduce the port’s environmental impact
Developments since Vision launch:
- Construction of Thames Tideway Tunnel progressing, with tunnelling expected to start before end 2018
- Thames Litter Strategy published; Cleaner Thames campaign continues; For Fishes Sake 2017 campaign in central London delivered 30% reduction in littering around London Bridge
- Baselines for biodiversity, invasive species and gaps in habitat have been set, ready for action
- Air Quality Strategy for the Thames published and implementation work started
- New, annual environment and heritage conference now a ‘go to’ Thames event
- Publication of Museum of London Archaeology’s ‘The river’s tale: archaeology on the Thames foreshore in Greater London’
- Order placed for UK’s, possibly the world’s, first hybrid pilot cutter
Community and Culture: more people enjoying the Thames and its banks
A riverside which is a magnet for ramblers, historians, artists and others, whether living nearby, on the river or travelling from further afield.
- Enhance access to information about the Thames
- Educate local school children about the Thames
- Create new appropriate residential moorings accommodating suitable vessels
- Explore development of a Thames brand for culture, heritage and quality of life
Developments since Vision launch:
- PLA working with the GLA on development of cultural strategy for the Thames
- Four-year programme of PLA support for Thames Festival Trust announced, covering delivery of Totally Thames and education outreach in East London
- Enhanced PLA support for Thames Explorer Trust, enabling them to extend education activity delivery over a wider area (Greenwich to Gravesend)
- Further ten-year agreement for the Museum of London to house and curate the PLA archive at the Museum of London Docklands
- First phase of the Illuminated River project due to launch in 2019
- PLA working with partners in the Tidal Thames Water Safety Forum to facilitate river suicide prevention
Achieving the goals will only be possible if a wide range of partners pull together. You can read the full Vision document here.