Watch Your Wash on the Thames

Our #WatchYourWash campaign aims to increase awareness of the potential risks of vessel wash and draw-off on river users along the tidal Thames.
A quarter of all reported navigational incidents in 2022 at the PLA were related to wash complaints, which are increasing year on year. So far this year, the PLA has received 47 wash complaints.
As well as causing a risk to the safety of navigation, and to the safety of other river users, such as the houseboat community, wash or draw off can have a detrimental impact on the environment and wildlife, through noise and disruption.
The PLA encourages all river users to submit a wash complaint, even by those not personally affected.
We investigate all reports and use sophisticated data analysis to identify trends. This data in turn can be used to affect appropriate mitigation measures with the aim of continually improving safety.