THAMES TUNNEL

That this House is concerned that the recent report by Lord Selborne, instigated by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, long-standing opponents of the Thames Tunnel, fails to recommend an effective and timely solution to the regular damaging pollution to the tidal Thames in London by the 39 million tonnes of untreated sewage that enters the river in a typical year through the Combined Storm Overflows (CSOs) when the capital's Victorian sewage system, designed for a population of four million, rather than the current eight million, is overwhelmed by even a modest amount of rain; notes that the Selborne proposed shorter tunnel would leave 19 of the 34 most polluting CSOs untouched and would cause odour problems for West London as untreated sewage backs up in an inadequate network; and believes that whilst sustainable urban drainage is important it is no substitute for a properly engineered, long-term solution to end the harmful pollution of the Thames and North Sea, maintain London's reputation as a leading business and tourist centre, enable the UK to comply with the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive and avoid the taxpayer facing huge daily fines.