Transport for London
Water freight
Moving freight by water
In 2007, the Thames carried nearly 1.8 million tonnes of freight. London's canals carried around 40,000 tonnes.
Water can be a cost-effective and efficient way of moving bulk goods and reducing harmful emissions.
The London Freight Plan aims to encourage, promote and enable the use of water to carry freight. It uses the Blue Ribbon Network to do this.
- London's Blue Ribbon Network
- Information for operators
- Information for planners and developers
- Contact us
What is London's Blue Ribbon Network?
The Blue Ribbon Network is part of the London Plan . It includes the Thames, the canals, rivers, streams and some open water spaces such as reservoirs and lakes Only some of these waterways are suitable for freight. They are managed by:
- Port of London Authority for the tidal Thames (east from Teddington lock)
- Environment Agency for the freshwater Thames (west of Teddington lock)
- British Waterways for the River Lea, the Lee Navigation, the Grand Union, Hertford Union and Regent's canals, the Limehouse Cut and Docklands
TfL and these authorities are working together on infrastructure projects to help the movement of freight by water. These include:
- Funding a wharf in west London to handle construction and demolition material
- Construction of Three Mills Lock to help 350 tonne barges get to the Olympic park
Information and useful links for operators
We can help if you're considering water freight to help reduce your company's impact on the environment. Contact us at freight@tfl.gov.uk for more information.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has a guide on the use of water as part of a supply chain.
Grants
You could get a grant from the DfT to help meet the costs of moving freight from road onto water.
Loading Infrastructure
We've produced a report (PDF 1.73MB) on loading and unloading cargoes on London's waterways.
Our Survey of the West London Canal Network (WLCN) (PDF 4.52MB) identified opportunities for the transport of waste, recyclates, and contruction materials. The study divided the WLCN in seven sections. The following maps provide details of primay site usage, sites and asset locations, access points with freight potential, freight sources and source volumes, freight destinations and freight volumes, and development site sections for each of the sections.
- Section 1 Camden to West Kilburn (PDF 5.27MB)
- Section 2 West Kilburn to Alperton(PDF 5.85 MB)
- Section 3 Alperton to Greenford (PDF 4.99MB)
- Section 4 Brentford to Norwood Green (PDF 5.4MB)
- Section 5 Greenford to Hays/Norwood Green to Hays, via Bull's Bridge Junction (PDF6.5MB)
- Section 6 Hays to Cowley and Iver via Cowley Peachy Junction (PDF 5.29MB)
- Section 7 Iver to Nag's Head (Slough) (PDF 4.83MB)
Abnormal Loads
Water is a good option for transporting abnormal loads. The Highways Agency has guidelines on the Government's policy here.
Information for planners and developers
As outlined in the London Plan, the planning system has a vital role to play in promoting the use of water freight in the Capital. Please find out more about the London Plan's policy guidance on water freight here .
Planning guidance
The Department for Transport has a guide showing how planning can support the use of inland waterways.You can download the guidance from the DfT website.
Contact us
Contact us at freight@tfl.gov.uk for more information.
