The public consultation over Thames Water’s proposed £3.6bn Thames Tunnel project closes this Friday (14th January) and the company is urging all Londoners with a view on the scheme to ensure they have their say before the 5pm deadline.
The company is proposing to construct a new ‘super sewer’ tunnel which the company says will “significantly reduce” the amount of sewage overflowing into the river. Located approximately 75 metres below ground and spanning a total length of 20 miles, the tunnel will “broadly follow” the river’s path before taking one of three routes:
The scheme is opposed by a number of bodies and groups including Hammersmith and Fulham Council who say there are “better options” which will cost Thames Water’s customers less money.
A consultation process was launched in September as part of which Thames has held a number of public exhibitions explaining their reasons for the scheme.
Last month members of the London Assembly set out a number of concerns about the project and called on Thames Water to explain how it would “maximise the employment of Londoners during the project’s construction.:
Despite their concerns, AMs concluded proposal is “the most viable solution available”.
Phil Stride, Head of London Tideway Tunnels, at Thames Water, said: “To find the least disruptive and most cost effective route and sites we need to listen very carefully to everybody’s views.
“It’s really important that as many people as possible, tell us what they think as early in the consultation process as possible, so we can ensure these comments are reflected when we publish our amended proposals in the summer. These revisions will form the basis of our second phase of public consultation.”
Responses to the consultation can be registered online at: thamestunnelconsultation.co.uk.
