A section of the River Roding (credit - Thames21)

Chance for Redbridge residents to give their views on the future of the River Roding

Alistair Kleebauer Monday, October 15, 2012
5:04 PM

Redbridge residents can have a say on the future of the River Roding from improving its ecology to finding new ways for people to use it.

Waterways charity Thames21 is consulting with the public on behalf of the Environment Agency to come up with new ideas to direct the management of the river in years to come.

A workshop will be held tomorrow in Valentines Mansion, Emerson Road, Ilford, to collect views with a second one to be held there next Tuesday (October 23).

The charity hopes people can attend both and questionnaires can also be sent out.

Aimee Felus, a project manager for Thames21, said: “It’s about improving the waterway and reducing pollution in terms of chemicals running off the roads and litter in the river.”

It is part of a “community approach to river management” driven by the European Water Framework Directive, an EU law which aims to improve the quality of our rivers.

Thames21 will draw up a catchment plan for the Roding and the Rivers Beam and Ingrebourne by December.

The charity is hoping to find out what people cherish about the river, which runs through Chigwell, Woodford Green and alongside the A406 into Ilford before going into Barking and Dagenham.

There could be practical ways Thames21 can help local groups too.

Ms Felus said: “Groups can apply to restore parts of the river through funds that are available for this sort of work.

“We’d like to give people support to apply.

“And if there’s a “friends of a park” group that the river runs through, we can give them training around water cleaning and testing the water.”

The Epping Forest Outdoor Group, which meets in Hollybush Hill, Snaresbrook, regularly holds walks and bike rides along the river.

Member Peter Gamble said he appreciated the challenge of managing it.

He said: “Once the banks become flooded, it’s quite enormous.

“I should think that environmentally it needs quite an eye kept on it.”

The workshop runs 7pm to 8.30pm.

Call Ms Felus on 07554 402 727 or email aimee.felus@thames21.org.uk.