Putney MP organises public meeting for residents with Thames Water

After fierce opposition from Justine Greening MP, Wandsworth Council, Stop the Shaft, and local residents, Thames Water has dropped Barn Elms as its preferred main drive shaft site to build the Thames Tunnel, opting instead for a smaller brownfield site at Carnwath Road in the phase two proposals.   

Today Thames Water has published the Thames Tunnel phase two proposals for consultation. Following the phase 1 consultation, Thames Water revised the tunnelling strategy for the Thames Tunnel, the main tunnel construction sites and CSO sites, taking into consideration concerns raised locally through Justine’s Thames Tunnel working group.

Locally the proposals mean there will be no main drive shaft at Barn Elms. Instead to tackle the sewage spills from Beverly Brook there will be a much smaller CSO site that will take less time to construct.

Thames Water has also improved the proposals for Putney Bridge and King George’s Park following feedback from local residents. 

After meeting with Thames Water to discuss the phase two proposals Justine said
“This is a real victory for our local community. I am delighted Thames Water has taken on board our local concerns and made sensible changes to the proposals to make the Thames Tunnel sites much more sustainable and in keeping with the surrounding areas.

Barns Elms is a greenfield site used by thousands of local children and families every week. It would have been terrible to see this fantastic playing fields ripped up by a main drive shaft construction.

I’m working with local residents and Thames Water to ensure work continues to minimise the impact of the three sites on our community. Residents can help by responding to the consultation and coming along to my public meeting in December to find out more.”

The Thames Tunnel phase two consultation runs for 14 weeks till 10th February 2012, and information about the phase two proposals is available to view online at www.thamestunnelconsultation.co.uk.

Justine is organising a local public meeting for residents with Thames Water on Thursday 8th December from 7.30pm at St Mary’s Church, Putney. This will be an opportunity for residents to find out more about the proposals and have their say.

November 9, 2011