Conham River Park: Wild swimmers’ petition reaches 4,000 signatures to trigger full council debate

A petition to overturn a ban on wild swimming at a popular beauty spot on the River Avon is set to be debated at full council after soaring past the required 3,500 signatures.

More than 4,100 people are now backing calls to grant bathing water status at Conham River Park.

It means the petition organisers have the right to a debate at a full council meeting of Bristol City Council.

Last month the local authority, which owns the land, said it could not support the campaigners’ request because of a 2009 bylaw prohibiting swimming.

It said there was a right to navigation on the stretch of the Avon, so swimming would carry a “significant risk” from boats.

But the issue now seems destined to be discussed in the chamber by 70 councillors, with a formal response required afterwards by mayor Marvin Rees or a member of his Labour cabinet.

The e-petition, started by Rebecca Blease, of Conham Bathing, on July 4, is demanding “designated bathing water status” which would see the river monitored for harmful bacteria and the bylaw amended.

It says: “We the undersigned demand Bristol City Council to support us in addressing the issue of sewage pollution in the River Avon and to amend the 2009 bylaw prohibiting swimming.

“Last year, Wessex Water discharged raw sewage directly into the river 23,524 times for a total duration of 151,258 hours.

“To address this, community group Conham Bathing has been preparing an application to Defra for Designated Bathing Water Status at Conham River Park (and Eastwood Farm Nature Reserve), a beautiful and historic bathing spot that has been enjoyed by locals for generations.

“With this status, the Environment Agency would monitor the levels of sewage pollution at the site and be responsible for implementing improvement measures if the water is found to be of persistently poor quality.

“The group need the Council’s permission to submit the application, as it is the landowner of the site.

“However, the Council has refused to support their efforts due to the Bristol City Docks By-Law 2009: Part V, sub-section 49, which prohibits swimming in the harbour, including the stretch of river at Conham River Park, despite this being some distance away.

“We are now demanding the Council amend this bye-law, so we can work towards enhancing and protecting the water quality in this treasured nature reserve, not only for public health, but for the river and the wildlife it supports.”

What Bristol City Council said

A spokesperson for Bristol City Council said in July: “Entering the tidal River Avon presents a number of risks including cold water shock, boat strike, hazardous objects under the water, strong currents, and illness and infection.

“The stretch of river all the way up to Hanham Lock, including Conham River Park, is covered by our 2009 Bylaws under which swimming is prohibited and there is a right to navigation.

“We are therefore unable to support the application for bathing water status at this time, which would encourage prohibited activity and carry significant risk from boats on the waterways.

“The council welcomes petitions and recognises they are one way in which people can let us know their concerns.

“Petitions can be submitted to Full Council for a response, and until this point we are unable to comment.

“If a petition contains 3,500 signatories or more from people who live, work or study in Bristol it can then trigger the right to be debated by the Full Council.”

An Environment Agency (EA) spokesperson said previously: “Bathing water designation will enable us to assess what action is needed to improve water quality to meet the standards set by the Bathing Water Regulations.

“To make rivers fit for bathing requires action from us all to reduce sources of potential pollution.

“Rivers and other open water locations that are not designated as bathing waters are managed for the purpose of protecting fish and wildlife, not people, so health risks from using these locations may be higher than at designated bathing waters.”

The petition, which is open until Friday, August 12, is here: https://democracy.bristol.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=251&RPID=20183039&HPID=20183039