Future of the boat race at risk from Thames pier plan

[love4ffc]

Future of the Boat Race is at risk because of Thames pier plan, warns MP

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/commons-thames-cambridgeshire-bob-stewart-mark-spencer-b2048446.html

By: David Lynch


The future of the Boat Race may be put at risk by plans for a new pier on the Thames, ministers have been told.

MP for Putney Fleur Anderson told the Commons that plans by Fulham Football Club to build a pier extending into the Thames outside its home ground could be disruptive and dangerous for people boating on the river, including those participating in the annual competition between Oxford and Cambridge universities.

The Boat Race is due to take place this weekend, after two years of disruption.

The annual event was cancelled in 2020 because of the pandemic, and was held under restrictions in Cambridgeshire in 2021.

Labour MP Ms Anderson said: "The future of Putney Boat Race on the Thames and all sport and all the river clubs on Putney embankment are begin put at risk by a proposal by Fulham Football Club to build an 80-metre pier out into the river which will have then a clipper ferry stop, which if it runs will make sport, rowing and sailing too dangerous on the river, especially for all the young people who use it.

"There are about 4,000 members across 41 clubs along the river who will be impacted, those 4,000 members use this stretch of the river on average about twice a week.

"As well as 30,000 participants in rowing races in the first quarter of the year, there are approximately 1,400 children from clubs and rowing centres near the Fulham Football Club and that part of the river who use it several items a week."

Intervening, Conservative MP Bob Stewart (Beckehnam) said: "I can't see how an 80-metre pier into the Thames can actually be allowed to happen in planning terms because it is so much used there, particularly rowing. It is wonderful."

Ms Anderson replied: "Please do join the campaign, we have got a petition he can sign. You are not alone in being incredulous about how this can be allowed to go ahead."

She added: "I hope Fulham Football Club will see this, will listen to all of these clubs and stop these plans to build this dangerous huge pier out into the river. I hope the minister can take this up with DCMS ministers as well and that we can talk about this and the future of the boat race will be secured."

Commons Speaker Mark Spencer wished "all those participating in Putney all the best".

Fulham FC is redeveloping the riverside stand of its Craven Cottage home ground, which is upriver from Putney Bridge.

Within the plans are the proposed new passenger pier, which could be used for trips to and from the ground.

Fulham FC was contacted for comment.

The Boat Race traditionally takes place over a four-mile stretch of the Thames, starting at Putney and ending up river at Mortlake.

[mrmicawbers]

80 metres really?

[Craven_Chris]

Looking at Google maps, 80m is about half the width of the Thames, the Pier in the artists impression looks more like 20m...

[mrmicawbers]

Looking at Google maps, 80m is about half the width of the Thames, the Pier in the artists impression looks more like 20m...

Yes that was my take on it.

[Sting of the North]

Is it just me that chuckled because of the typo in the headline for this topic? I found it very funny!

[Kemosabe]

Looking at Google maps, 80m is about half the width of the Thames, the Pier in the artists impression looks more like 20m...

Yes that was my take on it.

Measuring it on Google Maps - the width of the Thames at Craven Cottage is about 188m.  So an 80m pier will come practically half way across the river.

I can see that this would be a significant obstacle to the Boat Race.  But I also struggle to believe that the pier would be that long. 

A 20m pier, by comparison, would (a) not actually project that far into the river and (b) would be unlikely to represent a material threat to the Boat Race because at that point on the course crews are seeking to find the fastest flowing stream which is over towards the Putney side of the river (because of the bend on the river at that point).

Interestingly, Putney Pier (which is just upriver from the Boat Race start, i.e. on the actual course) sticks out about 48m into the river (according to the same Google Maps measurement).   Boat race crews (and all the other Tideway crews based on Putney Embankment) seem to have managed to cope with this obstacle for many years....

[love4ffc]

Two concepts of the Fulham Pier.  First picture is the one I believe they are proposing to build.  The second one doesn't seem feasible and would be very costly one would think.  Though, I really like the look of the second one.     

[northamptonsteve]

Adding a chicane might make it more interesting!

[Roberty]

It is fanciful

The deep water is well towards to the other bank and all of the photos I could find show the boats passing nearer to the other bank

[Cobh Fulham Fan]

That second one looks more like an island than a pier. they might fit another new stand on that. Lol

[Kemosabe]

For a definitive answer, someone should ask Olympic medallist, former captain of the Cambridge rowing crew - and long-time Fulham fan - John Pritchard for his opinion!

[deadcowboys]

It is fanciful

The deep water is well towards to the other bank and all of the photos I could find show the boats passing nearer to the other bank

Not that I know much about rowing but boats seek fast running water & you find that in shallower water not deep water. The Middlesex Station (ground side) holds the initial advantage before the big Surrey Station bend turns to the left. They will just have to move over a bit unless they want to stop at the pier to take in a game. For a deluded 1 term MP to  spout 80 meter rubbish beggars belief though. Those around when the Riverside was originally built will remember Wandsworth Council tried very hard to prevent the stand being built.

[MartyFFC]

Does anyone really care anymore about a bunch of privileged toffs going for a paddle every year

[Rupert]

Does anyone really care anymore about a bunch of privileged toffs going for a paddle every year

Absolutely. When you start getting rid of sporting traditions, such as the very popular Varsity Boat Race, you open the door for other outlandish ideas like maybe moving Football clubs away from their traditional grounds.
Just because you have no interest in an event that has been going on on "our" stretch of the river for far longer than our club has existed does not mean we can ignore it or treat it with disdain. I am not sure how much of this story is true and how much is hype or headline seeking, but we will only get any sort of pier (assuming we want it) by taking everyone else's views into consideration.
How would you feel if some more popular sport came along and unilaterally announced they would do something that would impact on football, or specifically on Fulham FC? I'd be a little miffed, personally.

[mrmicawbers]

I'm sure the Port of London Authority will be more interested in people utilising the river than a once a year boat race.The good news is we will make a fortune with the hospitality in the new stand over the boat race weekend.Think i might attend myself which i haven't for years.I remember going regulary when the pubs used to shut at three oclock,but used to stay open on boat race day.Was on a Saturday then as i recall.

[Jim©]

It is fanciful

The deep water is well towards to the other bank and all of the photos I could find show the boats passing nearer to the other bank

Not that I know much about rowing but boats seek fast running water & you find that in shallower water not deep water. The Middlesex Station (ground side) holds the initial advantage before the big Surrey Station bend turns to the left. They will just have to move over a bit unless they want to stop at the pier to take in a game. For a deluded 1 term MP to  spout 80 meter rubbish beggars belief though. Those around when the Riverside was originally built will remember Wandsworth Council tried very hard to prevent the stand being built.

Not particularly true re running water.
Rowing boats on the Thames (and many other rivers) will be in the middle of the river when they are travelling in the same direction as the stream/current/tide and there definitely are deeper channels on that stretch of the river where the river is deepest and you get increased speed on the boat.
When travelling against the stream, boats tuck into the bank- which tends to be Putney side as all the boat houses are situated there.

Part of the issue that I see with the pier is that it probably will always need to "float", which does mean that it'll need to be fairly long.

[HamsterWheel]

Looking at the actual race, they row in the middle of the river whilst passing the ground. So nonsense from the nimby MP.

https://youtu.be/6V6va2RIdeE?t=4386

[filham]

Well if the Coxes on the Oxford and Cambridge boats are not capable of avoiding a little protrusion in the river then we must forget all about "Britain Ruling The Waves".

[toshes mate]

Low water mark is wider at the Hammersmith End of the ground by over twice the width of the Putney End and so the 80m length is probably reasonably accurate.  The Pier placement benefits from being at the 'wrong end' because of the footpath access to Hammersmith.  Clippers already access Putney Pier and in my childhood riverboats went much further up the Thames (to Hammersmith, Kew, Richmond, and beyond) without interfering with the Boat Race. 

I can remember riverboats being used as 'grandstands' or travelling behind the umpire boats and would love to see old BBC tapes which show this.   I presume the chief complaint would be from the wash generated by the clipper boats interfering with other river traffic regardless of the state of the tide but that would surely be mitigated by the frequency of the service.    But we all know what virtue signallers MPs can be, don't we?

[SuffolkWhite]

If the pier has had planning consent then the various people affected would have had an option to oppose it already! Unless of course this is the time to voice those concerns?
And if all concerns have been raised and permission given then what can they do then?