About Our Campaign to Oppose TDRA

The Save Our Lands & River (SOLAR)* Campaign group was formed to mount opposition to Thames Water's TDRA (Teddington Direct River Abstraction) scheme. We encourage Thames Water to consider better alternative drought resilience schemes.

SOLAR is campaigning on behalf of the hundreds of thousands of residents living in the proposed area affected by the TDRA scheme, from Isleworth, to St Margarets, Twickenham, Teddington, Ham and North Kingston.

A voluntary group, SOLAR, is supported by extremely concerned individuals as well as resident groups, businesses and charities (see the list of groups supporting us and our share Statement of Opposition below).

Join our SOLAR campaign

We welcome anyone who can add the skills, time and energy to tackle what we consider to be a poor scheme that is bad news for any area. Want to help us? Send us an email if you have specific skills we can use on the campaign. In particular, we are looking for experts in science, ecology, and the environment generally. We are also seeking legal and business finance experts willing to offer their time to our campaign.

Individuals and organisations are joining our campaign every day

Since the campaign expanded in the February 2024, over 90 organisations, clubs, community groups and businesses have joined us in a shared Statement of Opposition. (See the statement below.)

And over 30,000 people have signed the CHANGE.ORG petition.

Have expertise you can share with the campaign organisers?

Can you offer some expert advice? We have working groups looking at:

  • Planning and the DCO challenge
  • Social and recreational impact
  • Land ecology
  • Water health
  • Best value & alternatives
  • Campaign structure, including finance and fundraising
  • Communications

Please email us and let us know how you can help!

Campaigners outside the Thames Water York House community consultation meeting, November 2023
Campaigners outside the Thames Water York House community consultation meeting, November 2023

Organisations endorsing our Shared Statement of Opposition

(as of: Tuesday 30 April 2024)

Please complete this form if you wish to add the name of your organisation to this list.

  1. Albion Consulting Limited
  2. Aligned Design Company, Twickenham
  3. Axiall Ltd, Teddington
  4. Bluetits Swimming Club
  5. Broom Water Association
  6. But Is It Art, Teddington
  7. Cafe Benedict, Teddington
  8. Canbury and Riverside Association (CARA)
  9. Charlie Chandler's Guitar Experience
  10. Cole Park Allotment Association
  11. Cole Park Road Residents Association
  12. Colliers Launches
  13. Cutters, St Margarets
  14. Dartmouth Capital Advisors
  15. Dysart Avenue Residents Association
  16. Eleana's Bistro
  17. Fern Hill Primary School
  18. Friends of Ham Lands
  19. Friends of Marble Hill
  20. Friends of Moormead Park
  21. Friends of Northcote Nature Reserve
  22. Friends of St Stephen's Primary School
  23. Friends of the River Crane Environment (FORCE)
  24. Friends of The Earth (Kingston)
  25. Friends of The Earth (Richmond)
  26. Gibson Lane Estate Agents (Ham)
  27. Girasole Deli, Teddington
  28. Grey Court School, Ham
  29. Ham and Petersham Association
  30. Ham and Petersham SOS
  31. Ham House Stables
  32. Ham, Petersham and Richmond Riverside Labour Party Branch
  33. Ham United Group
  34. Hamilton Design and Build
  35. Hammertons Ferry
  36. Hampton and Molesey Riverside Trust
  37. Hampton Wick Association
  38. Infidelity HiFi
  39. Jones and Jones of Hampton Wick
  40. Kew & Ham Sports Association
  41. Kings Head, Teddington
  42. Kingston Rowing Club
  43. Kingston Royals Dragon Boat Club
  44. Lankester Engineering LLP
  45. Lebanon Park Residents Community
  46. Leander (Kingston) Sea Scouts
  47. Local Hero (Kingston and Teddington)
  48. Mervyn Smith & Co
  49. Moormead Cricket Club
  50. Moormead Football Club
  51. Nali Barbers, Teddington
  52. One Element Richmond
  53. One One Four, Teddington
  54. Paddle Richmond
  55. Paddle Teddington
  56. Patch co-working space, Twickenham
  57. Petersham Environment Trust
  58. Pilates Plus
  59. Reclaim our Riverside
  60. Richmond and Kew Football Club
  61. Richmond Canoe Club
  62. Richmond Society
  63. Richmond Yacht Club
  64. River Action UK
  65. River Thames Boat Project
  66. River Users Group (8)
  67. Riverside Court Owners Association
  68. Royal Canoe Club
  69. Royal Outrigger Canoe Club
  70. Safeboat Ltd of Teddington
  71. St Catherine's School, Twickenham
  72. St Margaret's Association of Residents
  73. St Richard's CE Primary School
  74. St Stephen's C of E Primary School
  75. Seething Wells Action Group
  76. Studio Doherty
  77. Surbiton High School (Boat Club)
  78. Teddington Harbour
  79. Teddington Harbour Yacht Club
  80. Teddington Hardware
  81. Teddington Society
  82. The Anglers, Fuller Smith and Turner
  83. The Boat Shop, Teddington Harbour
  84. The Boaters Inn, Kingston
  85. The Collecterie, Teddington
  86. The Cut, Teddington
  87. The Lensbury
  88. The Palm Centre, Ham
  89. The Skiff Club
  90. The Kingston Academy (TKA)
  91. The Tanning Centre, Teddington
  92. The Twickenham Society
  93. The Turk's Head
  94. The Wharf Restaurant and Jazz Bar
  95. The White Swan pub, Riverside Twickenham
  96. Trowlock Island Residents
  97. Twickenham Rowing Club
  98. Walbrook Rowing Club
  99. William Curley Ltd
  100. Wonderlust Boutique, Teddington
  101. YMCA St Paul's Group (includes YMCA Hawker)
  102. York Pet Supplies, Teddington

Our Shared Statement of Opposition to Teddington DRA

Please complete this form, or contact us if you wish to add the name of your organisation to this list on this page.


We are much concerned and unconvinced by Thames Water’s “Teddington Direct River Abstraction” (TDRA) infrastructure proposals. These proposals include a treated sewage outfall facility near Teddington Weir, a new river abstraction facility upstream (alongside the Thames Path) and associated tunnels and pipeline shafts through public parks and nature reserves in Hounslow, Twickenham, and Ham Lands.

We understand the need to plan for the challenges of climate change and population growth in terms of water provision but are unconvinced that Thames Water has considered all possible alternative options, unconvinced that this scheme is best value for money, and we note Thames Water’s failure to adequately maintain and invest in its pipe network and supply infrastructure.

The proposed scheme will destroy protected local habitats and degrade the water environment. Tunnelling, shaft-sinking and construction sites will cause damage and destruction to acres of local nature reserve and parkland. Discharge into the Thames’ summer flows will threaten life in the aquatic ecosystem and impact thousands of recreational river users of this part of the Thames, including water sports clubs, open-water swimmers and anglers.

All this at the very time we should be looking to protect and enhance our open spaces and the Arcadian character of the Thames landscape that protect the people of London from the damage caused by pollution and climate change. The TDRA proposal is made without any recognition of the physical and mental health, social and recreational benefits to people these natural features bring

Thus far Thames Water’s engagement with the community has been unacceptably weak. Thames Water has chosen to communicate only what it wants the public to hear. Many fair and reasonable questions have gone unanswered, and many key communities and residents have not been informed of the true nature of this scheme. The level of transparency from Thames Water is disappointing, and unacceptable.

Thames Water has enormous resources. It can plan and execute many different solutions over a timescale stretching out to 2075. We are calling on them to use those resources wisely, to be a leading light in delivering water services to customers, engaging with communities, and protecting the environment in a way consistent with their stated policies. We should rightfully expect that from the largest water utility in the country.

Proposed by Save Our Lands and River (SOLAR)


 

Campaigners including Ian McNuff outside the Peter and Paul Centre
Sarah Olney, MP for Richmond Park, supports the campaign at the Hawker Center consultation with Thames Water
Munira Wilson MP visits campaigners outside York House, with Alice Lankester
Munira Wilson MP visits campaigners outside York House, with Alice Lankester
Campaigners organised a spirited march to the Hawker Center consultation event with Thames Water
Campaigners organised a spirited march to the Hawker Center consultation event with Thames Water
Campaigners in the summer 2023 march against TDRA
Campaigners in the summer 2023 march against TDRA
Campaigners on the march to the Hawker Center
Campaigners on the march to the Hawker Center
The view of Teddington weir and upstream from the weir footbridge
The Twickenham Rowing Club
The Kingston Rowing Club

*Originally called Save Ham Lands & River, this campaign has now expanded to include the entire community that would be affected by the TDRA.