Revitalising London's Olympic Waterways

The Bow Back Rivers are a fascinating network of post-industrial waterways that have been derelict and underused since the Second World War. Today they form part of the 2012 Olympic Park and the first step towards their restoration, a new lock and water control structure on Prescott Channel near Bromley-by-Bow, is now complete.

The new Three Mills Lock has restored the Bow Back Rivers to navigation, creating a green gateway for barges entering the Olympic Park and reviving water transport in the area for the first time in 50 years. The lock is part of a wider strategy to maximise the use of the rivers in the area for wildlife, navigation and people, creating a thriving waterway legacy.

The new lock is backed by a partnership including the Olympic Delivery Authority, London Thames Gateway Development Corporation, Transport for London, the Department for Transport, Defra, the Environment Agency, Natural England and British Waterways.

British Waterways is the project manager for Three Mills Lock and the work has been carried out by Volker Stevin. Building work at the lock site started in March 2007. The lock is now operational and the site has now been landscaped and reopened to the public. The lock and weir structures will maintain water levels in the Olympic Park, allowing up to 1.75million tonnes of construction materials to be brought in by barge and taking thousands of lorry journeys off local roads.

Beyond the Olympics, the restored waterways could be used to carry waste and recyclates from new homes established in the area, as well as attracting increased leisure boat activity - trip boats, water taxis, floating restaurants, houseboats and visiting craft. Wildlife habitats will be enhanced and protected and access to the rivers will be improved with new paths and signage, plus links to parks and other rivers in the Lower Lea Valley.