06 July 2021

Anne descends into super sewer below London

06 July 2021

The Princess Royal has travelled deep below London into the tunnels of a new “super sewer”.

Anne – in a turquoise hard hat, orange and turquoise fluorescent jacket, gloves and sturdy boots – was pictured exploring the Thames Tideway Tunnel, which is still under construction, under the River Thames.

The 25km sewer, which stretches across 24 construction sites from Acton in the west to Beckton in the east, is in its final phase, with 5km of the main tunnel to go and completion due in 2025.

Anne was given the task of fixing in the final bolt into the last penstock to be fitted at the site in Chelsea Embankment.

The tunnel will prevent the tens of millions of tonnes of pollution that currently floods into the Thames every year.

London relies on a 150-year-old sewer system built for a population less than half its current size.

As a result, millions of tonnes of raw sewage spills, untreated, into the river.

Andy Mitchell, the project’s chief executive, said: “This site is a vital component to the giant puzzle we are building, connecting 24 sites across the city, under the river, to help prevent the millions of tonnes of sewage that currently pollute the Thames

“We have much work ahead of us to get this vital project over the line but with our progress to date, we are well on our way.”

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