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Boating and Mooring in London During The 2012 Olympics

CanalCuttings have recently been in touch with British Waterways in London to find out what is being proposed for access to the Olympic Village for boaters during the 2012 Olympics with regards to moorings and boater's services.

British Waterways say they want to make sure that London's canals, rivers and docks are "right at the heart of the Olympic party", but we have found that the waterways within the Olympic Park, known as the Bow Back Rivers, Waterworks River, City Mill River and the Old River Lea, currently controlled directly by the Olympic Authorities is likely to be closed and access to them restricted in the build-up, during and after the Games!

So the idyllic picture of a narrowboat cruising by the Olympic Village shown on Waterscape is a bit of a fib!

The section of the River Lee Navigation, which British Waterways manages, that borders the Olympic Park is also also likely to be subject to temporary restrictions but BW say they are working with the Olympic Authorities and the Police to determine what access will be available to boaters, and the security measures they may be subject to.

Even though the waterways of central, east London are perfect bases for easy access to the Olympic Park, the already stretched visitor mooring of Paddington Basin (Management Company / BW Controlled), Little Venice (Voluntary Wardened), Camden (Voluntary Wardened), Islington (Unwardened), and Victoria Park (Unwardened) are probably all less than a 10 minute walk away from an London Underground station, they are already choked, mostly with 'continuous moorers' and 'bridge hoppers' who rarely leave London, so unless BW London sort that problem out there could be a real bottleneck in London during the 2012 Olympics. Their only Enforcement Officer seems to have switched off prior to taking early retirement; since BW doubled his area of work responsibility and after he has taken advantage of his BW London Olympic pass, maybe?

The already busy canal towpaths are planned to form part of the walking and cycling routes direct to the Olympic Park, so if you do manage to get a mooring it is going to be a nightmare for boaters generally with increased passing traffic.

The waterscape website says; "During summer 2012, if there is sufficient demand, British Waterways will create a series of temporary moorings in Docklands, which can be accessed from the River Thames via West India Lock. There are likely to be both serviced and unserviced moorings, possibly on pontoons" but we doubt these will be available to many narrowboaters or canal craft bearing in mind the need for VHF radio to cruise the tidal River Thames.

It is likely that the Hertford Union Canal, Limehouse Cut and River Lee Navigation either side of the restricted zone, that are very close to the Olympic Park, will be available to boaters and BW are in discussions with the Olympic Authorities about the possibility of "temporarily allowing boats to cruise around the Olympic Park waterways after the Games".

The tidal section of the River Thames, including the river in central London, is managed by the Port of London Authority, for more information about boating on the Thames visit www.BoatingOnTheThames.co.uk. The non-tidal section of the River Thames above Teddington Lock is managed by the Environment Agency, visit www.VisitThames.co.uk for more information there.

Editor's comment: We think we'll get a Gold Licence for 2012, head for the River Nene and the Middle Level system and Lodes east of Northampton and watch the Olympics on TV!