Freddie van Mierlo MP urges Government to act faster on river water protection for Henley and Thame
Freddie van Mierlo, Member of Parliament for Henley and Thame, has written to Emma Hardy MP, Minister for Water and Flooding, to raise concerns about delays in improving the rules that protect local rivers used for swimming, rowing and paddleboarding.
Earlier this year, the Government reviewed the Bathing Water Designation Framework. The review recommended three core reforms, nine technical changes and two wider reforms. One of the wider reforms, which is especially important for Henley and Thame, would expand the definition of bathers to include all river users such as rowers and paddleboarders.
Previously, Henley’s application for Bathing Water Status was denied in 2024 for not having enough spontaneous ‘bathers’ (swimmers). The change would open the door for a successful application and put in place protections for water quality including monitoring by the EA and requiring improvements by Thames Water.
However, the new amendment published in October only puts in place the core reforms and technical changes. The wider reforms, including the change that would help protect rivers used for sport and recreation, have been left without a clear timetable. The Government has suggested they may not be brought in before 2027 and only after more studies.
Freddie warns that this delay will continue to affect local events and people who use the River Thames. In recent years the Henley Royal Regatta has faced warnings about sewage and high levels of E. coli. Henley Swim, which ran large community events for more than twenty years, closed this year because poor water quality made it impossible to continue.
Freddie’s letter also highlights concerns raised by the House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee. The committee said that important details about how the new system will work are still missing, which makes proper scrutiny difficult. It also warned that river water testing may depend on future funding, and that the Government has not yet addressed calls from groups such as Surfers Against Sewage for testing of new pollutants, real time monitoring of bathing sites and an end to ignoring the worst pollution events.
Freddie asked the Minister to respond to these issues before the objection period ended on 6th December, but the department are yet to comment.
Freddie van Mierlo MP said:
“Our community depends on a clean and healthy River Thames. Events have already been lost because water quality has been allowed to decline. The Government has accepted the need for wider reform but is now pushing it years into the future. Local people deserve clarity and real action, not further delay.”