After our interesting and rewarding tour of the House of Lords, we walked to the Westminster Pier and embarked on our chartered boat, the William B, operated by the Swan Pier Company Ltd. We were joined by Mr. James Trimmer from the Port of London Authority and Ms. Sarah Lavery from the Environment Agency.
James Trimmer is the head of Planning and Partnerships for the Port of London Authority, and is the officer directly responsible for the initiation, co-ordination and implementation of the PLA's land use, planning and transport policies and the fostering of strategic and local partnerships involving the PLA throughout the tidal Thames.
Sarah Lavery is the Environment Agency's Project manager, leading the development of the long term flood risk management strategy for London and the Thames Estuary. She has extensive experience in the design and construction of London's tidal defences and is currently one of the Environment Agency's Thames Barrier controllers, with responsibility for Barrier closure decisions.
The members present were really pleased to be able to hear at first hand the information about the workings of the river that they were able to give us.
The tidal Thames rises and falls by 7 metres, and the speed of the river, when meeting the incoming tide, is about 5 miles per hour (8 kilometres per hour). The PLA owns the Thames foreshore, which was sold by the King in medieval times to pay for the Crusades. This is used by a group of people known as mudlarks, who are allowed to dig to a depth of 6 metres, looking for artefacts.
Part Two to come next Monday in which we find out more about the Port of London Authority and the Thames Barrier.
No comments:
Post a Comment