Archived decisions

Contact: Emma Beagley, tel 01489 576387 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 This report summarises the situation with the M27 bridge, the findings of the Streamlining Coastal Consents Procedures project and the issue of copper and water quality on the River Hamble.

2. Reason

2.1 To promote the continued management and improvement of the River Hamble and its environs.

3. M27 Motorway Bridge

Drainage System

3.1 The issue of direct discharge from the current drainage system on the M27 bridge and surrounding carriageway of the M27 into the River Hamble remains ongoing. The carriageway of the M27 bridge drains to 16 drainpipes which drop a metre or so from the carriageway above the river with no interception of any kind. The kilometre of carriageway running east and west from the bridge drains to drainage ditches alongside the carriageway which carry the discharge to the River.

3.2 The Harbour Office and Hampshire County Council have received a number of letters from concerned River users outlining the problem and requesting that something be done. As the bridge is under the control of the Highways Agency, dialogue has been opened up with them about this issue and possible solutions.

3.3 Mott Macdonald has completed an assessment of the pollution risk posed by the M27 crossing over the River Hamble on behalf of the Highways Agency. As with all other sites in the country requiring work, Mott Macdonald forwards the results of the Risk Assessments to the Agency and these form the basis of allocated funding, unless there is further subjective evidence information supplied with the Risk Assessment.

3.4 The Harbour Office has compiled:

(i) a report on the nature of the flow in the vicinity of the M27;

(ii) a number of letters; and

(iii) details of the level of use of the River.

3.5 This has all been submitted to Mott MacDonald, who have forwarded it as subjective evidence, with the Risk Assessment to support the case for action. Copies of all of the information submitted can be found in the attached appendix.

3.6 The Highways Agency has been asked to consider the proposals in the light of setting its priorities. A list of sites should be published by the Highways Agency in January 2007.

Littering Incident

3.7 On 18 July the Harbour Office received a report from Riverside Boatyard that an employee had witnessed workers tip litter/debris over the M27 bridge into the River. This is a direct violation of Bye-law 30 for the River Hamble Undertaking.

3.8 The Environment Agency hotline was not contacted for this incident as the staff at Riverside Boatyard were not aware of the number. The Assistant Harbour Master (Environment) (AHM-Env) has informed Riverside Boatyard of the hotline number and asked them to use it as well as notifying the Harbour Office of any further incidents.

3.9 The AHM-Env wrote to Mott MacDonald, the consultancy dealing with the M27 on behalf of the Highways Agency, informing them of the incident. The AHM-Env has received a verbal response from the Customer Services Department. The response was that on the date in question the closest maintenance team working on the M27 was near to Junction 5 of the motorway. The Customer Services Department said that it does have a number of contractors working on the motorway, such as on vegetation clearance, and it may have been any number of them who disposed of debris in this way.

3.10 The Department went on to say that it does have problems with fly-tipping on motorway verge sites and that in future as much information as possible is needed to be able to better identify if the incident is caused by a maintenance worker, contractor or private individual. Information such as registration number and colour of vehicle, name on vehicle or clothing, etc should be given if possible.

4. Rural Pathfinder Project - Streamlining of Coastal Consent Procedures

4.1 Within Hampshire's Rural Pathfinder programme, Hampshire County Council commissioned a study into streamlining and simplifying the coastal consents processes. The final report, `Streamlining of Coastal Consent Procedures' June 2006, which was produced by Atkins, is now available and can be downloaded from the Coastal Management for Sustainability (CMS) website at www.coastms.co.uk. A link to the report is also available from the Harbour Authority website.

4.2 The project focused on two geographical areas within Hampshire, ie Chichester Harbour and the River Hamble, but is applicable to many small estuaries and harbours in the UK. The project was overseen by a steering group which included Hampshire County Council, Chichester Harbour Conservancy, River Hamble Harbour Authority, English Nature and the Environment Agency. It reviews the opportunities and constraints to streamlining coastal consents and included a number of interviews with regulators and applicants to determine their views and ideas of how the process could be improved. From this knowledge, the report puts forward some recommendations to improve the current consenting regime on a local and national level. It is intended that those recommendations which might affect the governance of the River Hamble will be considered as part of the forthcoming governance review.

5. Copper Levels in the River Hamble

5.1 The Environment Agency undertakes routine monitoring of the estuaries and harbours within the Solent and this monitoring has highlighted elevated copper concentrations in sediments and water samples at some locations. At the Solent Water Quality Conference in July 2006 the Environment Agency presented its findings following its work looking at copper loading levels in the waters of the Solent.

5.2 Whilst about the Solent , the presentation focused on the River Hamble, as the level of dissolved copper at the sampling point on the River was shown to be the highest in the Solent. The copper loading levels were established using an estimated load from copper-based anti-fouled vessels. Based on the estimated copper load from anti-fouling paints, the annual copper load from the Hamble is estimated by the Environment Agency to be 3,000 kilograms.

5.3 Whilst research such as this is welcomed and supported by the Harbour Office there are currently concerns about this work, due to its scientific base and consequently the implications it has for the Harbour Authority and others. The copper level for the River Hamble is based on one sampling point located in the vicinity of Bursledon Bridge. All other harbours in the study had a minimum of four sampling sites spread throughout the area. Also this sampling point lies very close to the point where three transport routes cross the River and the discharge from these bridges drain directly into the River.

5.4 The AHM-Env arranged a meeting with the Harbour Master, the local Environment Agency Biodiversity Officer and the Area Technical (Marine) Team Leader to work on a way forward, addressing the concerns the Harbour Authority and others have about this research and ensuring the figures quoted for the River Hamble are representative of the whole River and not just one point.

5.5 At this meeting it was agreed that the Environment Agency would undertake further water sampling at monthly intervals at sites throughout the River, with the assistance of the Harbour Authority. It was also agreed that, where possible, the Hamble Estuary Student Research Fund would be used to help generate further research into water quality issues. There would be liaison with the Environment Agency throughout and student research will be monitored to ensure the work undertaken is of the required standard.

5.6 The Harbour Authority and the Environment Agency are working in partnership with the available resources to ensure the data and research used to inform management actions in future is as comprehensive as possible.

6. Impact Assessments

6.1 This report provides a position statement only, therefore an impact assessment, in terms of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act, has not been undertaken.

Recommendation

That the River Hamble Harbour Board notes this report.

1035/EB