'Super sewer' consultation to stop Thames pollution ends

A consultation on plans to build a £3.6bn tunnel to reduce the amount of sewage polluting the River Thames has come to an end.

The 20-mile (32km) Thames Tunnel would run from west to east London collecting sewage discharge triggered by rainfall.

Residents fear the works will take over parks and protected spaces for years, reduce house prices and leave ugly concrete shafts and service buildings.

Thames Water says it will cut pollution in the Thames for 100 years.

Public exhibitions and question-and-answer sessions were held over the course of the 14-week consultation.

Interested parties were also promised the opportunity to "understand and influence the development of the project and have their say on the preferred route and construction sites".

The Thames Tunnel will be at a depth of about 246ft (75m) and will emerge to the east of Tower Bridge at Limehouse before going one of three ways:

• North-east to connect to the Lee Tunnel at Abbey Mills in Stratford - the shortest of the proposed routes;

• East following the river and crossing the Greenwich peninsular up to Beckton Sewage Works in Newham;

• South-east, straight to Greenwich and then on to Beckton.

Thames Water has estimated the cost of the planned tunnel could result in bill increases of about £60 to £65 per year for its customers.

The company said, on average, sewage is discharged into the Thames at least once a week due to rainfall.

Martin Baggs, Thames Water's chief executive, said: "Allowing sewage to continue to overflow into the river at the current frequency is unacceptable."

Hammersmith and Fulham Council in west London has opposed the plan saying a "gold-plated 'super sewer' with a £3.6bn price tag threatens our parks and will drive many hard-working families into water poverty to pay for it".

Thames Water hopes to submit a planning application in 2012 with construction due to be completed in 2020.