Swimming in the Tidal Thames: Progress, Challenges, and Vision
Discussion high in public interest this week: Dare to dive in the River Thames?
The Tidal Thames, known for its grislier nature compared to the Seine, has long been a working river, with a history that includes lidos and indoor pools along Victoria Embankment. However, the river's unsafe conditions have made it unsuitable for swimming, despite the growing popularity of freshwater bathing in the UK post-pandemic.
Progress on the Thames Baths project has been hampered by chronic under-investment and massive debt. The city of Paris, on the other hand, underwent a €1.4 billion clean-up for the Olympics, making it possible for people to enjoy swimming with a view of the Eiffel Tower. The demand for similar opportunities in London is high, but the tidal Thames remains strongly advised against for swimming due to serious safety risks.
Current Status and Plans
In 2019, the Tidal Thames Water Safety Forum was launched by HRH The Duke of Cambridge. The forum, which includes groups like the Port of London Authority (PLA), RNLI, London Fire Brigade, Coastguard, police marine units, ambulance service, and others, aims to reduce drowning and improve water safety on the tidal Thames through coordinated efforts and strategy delivery.
Around London, drownings and water incidents are on the rise, emphasizing ongoing dangers such as fast-moving tides and getting cut off by water level changes. Safety campaigns from the PLA and RNLI emphasize that the tidal Thames is a fast-moving, working river with dangerous undercurrents and tides, not suitable for swimming. They strongly advise staying out of the water, recommending swimming only in lifeguarded, safe environments elsewhere.
Obstacles to Safe Swimming in the Tidal Thames
The river's natural hazards, such as strong tidal currents, fast-moving water, mud, sudden water level changes, and underwater obstructions, make swimming inherently risky. Water quality also poses health risks, especially with direct exposure in an uncontrolled river environment.
Legal and regulatory challenges further complicate the situation, as current frameworks focus on commercial and shipping use, with no formal provisions or liability structures for recreational swimming in the tidal river. The river also lacks lifeguards, designated swimming areas, or rescue resources that could contain and respond to emergencies quickly.
Potential Solutions and Progress
Multi-agency collaboration, public education, and pilot projects emulating urban swimming models from other cities offer potential solutions. The forum brings key stakeholders together to pool resources, share data on incidents, and implement prevention campaigns. Public education stresses ‘stay out of the Thames’ messages and teaching water safety, such as the RNLI’s “Float to Live” technique.
Visionary projects like Thames Baths propose controlled swim zones using filtered water and sustainable energy, aiming to circumvent direct exposure to the river’s hazards by offering floating pools. Nature-based solutions, such as riverbank vegetation and natural filtration, aim to improve water quality and ecological health, which could gradually support recreational uses.
Summary
While there is no official or widespread plan yet to make the tidal Thames fully safe for swimming directly in its open waters, there is significant coordinated work to reduce drowning risks and create safer, controlled swimming experiences through innovative infrastructure and better management. The main obstacles are the river’s fast tides, safety risks, legal limitations, and water conditions. Progress relies on multi-agency cooperation, public education, and pilot projects emulating urban swimming models from other cities.
Copenhagen in Denmark and Vienna in Austria offer popular waterways for citizens seeking a healthy, refreshing pastime. Some in politics believe bringing water companies back into public ownership could solve the situation on the Thames. The Port of London Authority insists that the tidal Thames, which flows from Teddington Lock out to the North Sea, will never be safe to swim in. Last year, London Mayor Sadiq Khan pledged to 'clean up our waterways too and build a plan to make rivers swimmable again within 10 years.'
The Thames Baths pipedream is a controversial and complex issue, which some may describe as Kafkaesque. Thames Water, a water company, currently owes a staggering £19 billion. Despite these challenges, the vision of safe and enjoyable swimming in the Tidal Thames persists, driven by the desire for a healthier, more sustainable, and more enjoyable urban environment.
The desire for a healthier and more enjoyable outdoor-living experience in London extend beyond the urban landscape, as some envision safe and enjoyable swimming in the Tidal Thames. However, the home-and-garden environment remains the more immediate focus for many, as the challenges of creating a safe and enjoyable lifestyle by the Tidal Thames seem daunting, with issues such as fast tides, safety risks, legal limitations, and water conditions hindering progress.
