Independent consultant Chris Binnie submitted evidence to Lord Selborne's Thames Tunnel Commission (TTC) this week accepting that his 2006 recommendations, that have formed the bedrock of Thames Water's case for the Thames Tideway Tunnel, may now be out of date and should be revisited.
Mr Binnie was Chairman of the Thames Tideway Strategic Study Group from 2000 to 2006, which was set up to examine ways of making the River cleaner. At the time, he reported that the Thames Tideway Tunnel or 'super sewer' as it is more commonly known, would be the most effective and cost-efficient way of reducing the amount of waste that flows into the river.
Hammersmith and Fulham Council say that Thames Water has used Mr Binnie's recommendations as a major plank of their publicity offensive to justify the rising cost of the scheme and neutralise opposition from residents across London.
The Thames Tunnel Commission has issued a call for evidence as part of its examination into Thames Water’s multi-billion pound ‘super-sewer’.
The Commission, which was launched in July and is sponsored by the London boroughs of Hammersmith & Fulham, Southwark, Richmond and the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, also has the support of a number of Local Authorities. The Commission is seeking evidence from Thames Water’s list of statutory and community consultees as well as a wide range of engineering consultancies and other organisations. Led by Commission Chairman Lord Selborne, a team of experts is examining the case for the massive 20-mile long sewer.
Thames Water claim the tunnel is needed to avoid EU fines and clean up the River Thames but, building on issues raised by residents, local councils and the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, the Commission will address whether the Thames Tunnel is the best solution to making the river cleaner or whether there are sensible alternatives that are cheaper, greener and less disruptive.
At a recent Commission hearing on 8th September Lord Selborne informed the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) that Chris Binnie had now stated that the Thames Tideway Strategic Study Group's recommendations might need revisiting.
Commissioner Henry Henderson told John Bourne from DEFRA that Chris Binnie had accepted that there had been a limited review of alternative options to the Thames Tunnel, with £12,000 spent on researching sustainable urban drainage solutions and £5m spent on researching the Thames Tunnel.
At that stage, John Bourne said: "I am not going to argue with Chris Binnie, if he says that then fair enough."
Cost of tunnel has doubled since 2006
Mr Binnie's written evidence to the Commission suggests that a much shorter tunnel, when working in tandem with the recently-built Lee Tunnel could be an effective solution to meeting EU requirements and states:
He said:
"There are a number of features that would be worth looking at as to see how viable a two tunnel scheme might be, thus postponing substantial capital expenditure on the whole Thames Tunnel."
Commissioners from the TTC heard that the cost of Thames Water's current scheme has doubled since 2006 and improvements in green technology alternatives, like SUDS (sustainable urban drainage solutions), have progressed at a rapid rate over the past five years.
Hammersmith & Fulham Council is arguing that it makes no sense to spend such a vast sum of money on a 'gold-plated solution' during the age of austerity and has called on Thames Water to consider cheaper and more effective options.
“Evidence blows a hole in Thames Water’s arguments”
Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh, H&F Council Leader, said:
"For the respected independent expert who made the original recommendations to now come forward and say that his research may be outdated by subsequent developments in green infrastructure solutions blows a major hole in all of Thames Water's arguments.
"For years, Thames Water has cited Mr Binnie's research as the main body of evidence to support the need for their costly and controversial super sewer.
"Now is the time for Thames Water to start listening to the expert who was once on their payroll and go back to the drawing board. There are cheaper, more effective and less disruptive options to clean up the river that need to be re-examined as a matter of urgency."
Mr Binnie accepts that the 20-mile long Thames Tunnel may not now be needed because, since his report, Thames Water has built the Lee tunnel, from Abbey Mills Pumping Station in Stratford to Beckton, which accounts for 60 per cent of the total discharge into the river.
Instead of the Thames Tunnel a much shorter tunnel solution, stretching from Hammersmith to Heathwall, might work, according to Mr Binnie.
He goes on to say:
"Thames Water did consider this scheme but that is nearly five years ago (before construction of the Lee Tunnel). In my view, it would be worthwhile reconsidering this aspect now."
The Thames Tunnel Commission is due to report back its findings at the end of October.
Thames Water head of London Tideway Tunnels Phil Stride is now planning to meet Mr. Binnie to discuss the issues further. If the tunnel is approved, construction on the tunnel would begin in 2013 and be completed by 2020.