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>The Thames Vision Goals

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
  • 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

Developments since Vision launch:

  • PLA and GLA launch a Case for a River Thames Cultural Vision
  • Port trade in 2017: 49.9 million tonnes (+10%, compared to 2015 baseline: 45.3 million tonnes.)
  • Sustained private sector investment in the port (Port of Tilbury, London Gateway, Cobelfret, OIKOS, Thames Oil Port, Navigator, Nustar)
  • Lower Thames Crossing route announced
  • Port of London Infrastructure Group established as valuable operator / infrastructure / government forum
  • First PLA Investment Plan launched
  • First Investment Plan agreement concluded with CEMEC, for new and improved discharge syste at Northfleet
  • Continued PLA investment in pilotage service to meet increasing demand
  • PLA operational improvements, including investment in new business systems and new piolotage and hydrographic survey vessels
 

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.