Why London needs the Thames Tunnel

IEMA Conference 2011Optimising Infrastructure within environmental limits

Tuesday 15 November 2011

The ‘lost rivers’ of London

Bazalgette’s interceptor sewers

London Tideway Improvements

Sir Joseph Bazalgette

London Tideway Improvements

Sewer overflow pointSir Joseph Bazalgette

London Tideway Improvements

Sewage Works Upgrades

Sir Joseph Bazalgette Sewage Works Upgrades - Mogden

London Tideway Improvements

Sewage Works Upgrades Lee Tunnel

Sir Joseph Bazalgette Lee tunnel construction - Beckton

London Tideway Improvements

Sewage Works Upgrades Lee Tunnel Proposed Thames Tunnel

Sir Joseph Bazalgette Sewer overflow point

Putney Bridge CSO

A CSO in action

27 May 2011, Hammersmith Bridge

5 June 2011, Barnes

Why tidal flows are important

Approach to EIA

Integration – EIA / Planning / Design teams co-located by geographic area (West/Central/East)

Mitigation by design, facilitated by co-location and specific EIA and Design team workshops

Consultation – Planning Act requirement to front load consultation

EIA and Reporting Stages

Stakeholder C

onsultation

Environmental challenges

London

Scale of project (22 sites in 14 Local Authorities)

Location of CSOs

Working in the foreshore

Key environmental challenges:

– Traffic and transport

– Noise and vibration

– Air quality

– Townscape and heritage

Transport We propose to:

– use the river to transport 90% of excavated material from the tunnel at the main tunnel drive sites

– use the river to bring in and take away the majority of bulk material used to fill the cofferdam at the foreshore sites in the River Thames

– explore opportunities to use rail freight to move material to or from our sites

– take into account the potential impact on the local road network.

Approach to EIA - reporting Preliminary Environmental Information report (PEIR) comprises 28

volumes:

– Vol 1: Introduction

– Vol 2: Proposed Development

– Vol 3: Alternatives

– Vol 4: Scoping opinions and technical engagement

– Vol 5: Assessment Methodology

– Vol 6: Project wide assessment

– Vols 7 – 28: Site Assessment Volumes

PEIR available on website as part of Phase 2 consultation

Sustainable development Challenge of balancing the long term benefits with the

short term construction effects

Reuse of excavated material – options appraisal developed in discussion with Environment Agency

Commitment to use of river for transportation of excavated material

Early development of Code of Construction practice in consultation with EHOs

Sustainability Strategy being promoted and developed by team embedded in project office, looking at whole life cycle of the project

Reasons to act now

Continued overflows, causing environmental damage

Continued health risk to river users

Continued adverse impact on attractiveness of river frontage

Risk of heavy fines being imposed on the UK

Doing nothing will mean:

If the Thames Tunnel is built it will still be functioning in the 22nd century