Call for Ten New Wild Swimming Sites in London to Revive Capital’s Waterways

Published: 19 September ‘2025. The English Chronicle Desk

A report from the London Assembly has recommended the creation of ten new wild swimming locations across the capital, in a move designed to both improve the cleanliness of London’s waterways and expand public access to outdoor recreation.

The proposal comes amid a growing trend in major cities around the world to restore rivers and open them up for swimming. Paris recently celebrated the opening of a central swimming site on the Seine, while Chicago held its first river swim in nearly a century. London, however, has lagged behind. At present, the capital has just eight officially designated wild swimming areas, none of which are located on rivers. All current sites are confined to docks and ponds, while not a single one of London’s rivers meets the “good” ecological status required under Environment Agency tests, which are based on the EU water framework directive.

The report urged London mayor Sadiq Khan to designate at least four new bathing water sites by 2028 and a further six by 2034. These new areas should be geographically spread across the city, with priority given to rivers already being used informally for recreation. Among the locations highlighted was the River Thames at Teddington in south-west London, where swimmers are already regularly seen braving the water despite its current condition.

The Assembly’s environment committee drew parallels with Khan’s previous work on air pollution, pointing to the success of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (Ulez). Research has shown that nitrogen dioxide levels from roadside emissions are now 27% lower than they would have been without the scheme, while particulate matter pollution in outer London fell by 31% after Ulez was expanded in 2023. The committee called on Khan to show similar determination with water quality and suggested he take an active role in holding Thames Water accountable, potentially by joining its board.

Other recommendations include the creation of a single online platform by April 2026 to provide water safety information for all rivers and open water sites across London. This should be paired with high-profile public safety campaigns, as well as promoting supervised locations for swimming to ensure Londoners can enjoy the water without risk.

The investigation behind the report was conducted by the environment committee in 2024–25 under the leadership of Zack Polanski, the new Green Party leader. He described the state of London’s waterways as “dreadful” and accused the authorities of allowing pollution to fester for too long.

“Too many of London’s waterways are blighted by pollution, leaving them in a dreadful state. It’s totally unacceptable that none of London’s rivers are at the standards needed or expected,” Polanski said. “We are calling on the mayor to drive forward this plan by targeting improvements to designate four new sites as bathing waters by 2028—a clear and tangible target which Londoners can see as progress in the plan. If the mayor is to achieve this ambitious target, he must ensure our recommendations are taken on board so that future generations can enjoy clean, safe waters.”

The push for new wild swimming areas reflects both environmental and social priorities, seeking to transform London’s relationship with its rivers. Should the mayor adopt the recommendations, the capital could follow the lead of Paris and Chicago, turning once-polluted rivers into thriving recreational spaces and giving Londoners a cleaner, healthier future.