Thames is ’empty, soulless and underused,’ says councillor

By Charlotte Lillywhite, Local Democracy Reporter

The River Thames has been slammed as “empty, soulless” and “underused” by a councillor who claims it is in need of more piers.

Conservative councillor Mark Justin, speaking at a Wandsworth council planning meeting on Tuesday, raised concerns about the lack of traffic on the river.

Discussing the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race on March 26, he said: “The world will be watching Putney this weekend on the Sunday.

“There won’t be a single vantage point accessible between 4pm and 5pm – the river itself will be full of a flotilla of boats all following the University Boat Race and the world will think: ‘Wow isn’t the Thames busy?’

“But on Monday it will revert to be an empty, soulless, underused river that it sadly is. We actually need more piers and bigger piers.”

Councillor Justin added the Thames is about to enter into a “golden era” when the Super Sewer is completed. He said the “water quality will improve and we’ll wish there were more piers”.

Pictured top: The Oxford boat on the Thames (Picture: PA)