Author: davepickering

Edinburgh reporter and photographer

Expert tips for driving through flooded roads

With warnings in place for heavy rain, motorists are being advised on how to navigate flooded roads safely.

Motoring experts at LeaseLoco.com have shared their top tips for drivers who find themselves with no choice but to tackle waterlogged routes.

Flooded roads not only pose a serious risk of vehicle damage but can also lead to lengthy standstills and an increased likelihood of accidents.

So motorists have been advised to drive steadily, remain considerate of other road users, and use consistent engine revs to reduce the risk of water damage.

Using a low gear is particularly important, as it helps prevent costly repairs and avoids unnecessary breakdowns that can cause further disruption.

Drivers are also being urged to stay calm and focus on safety by using headlights and maintaining clear visibility. 

Patience is key when navigating flooded roads – motorists should take turns, drive through the highest points of the road, and avoid rushing, as panic can lead to accidents.

John Wilmot, CEO and founder of car leasing deals site LeaseLoco said: “Driving through flooded roads should be avoided whenever possible, both for personal safety and to prevent costly damage to your vehicle.

“However, drivers will inevitably encounter waterlogged roads from time to time, so knowing the safest ways to navigate them is essential.

“Water damage to vehicles can be expensive, but maintaining consistent revs while driving through floodwater can help prevent water from entering the engine.

“It’s also important to stay inside your vehicle in flooded areas, as floodwater often contains contaminants from drainage systems that pose serious health risks.

“In wet conditions, vehicles are at risk of losing traction and control – something known as aquaplaning. If this happens, ease off the accelerator gently, keep the steering wheel straight, and avoid braking harshly, as this can worsen the situation.

“By staying calm, driving slowly, and taking proactive precautions, you can protect yourself, your passengers, and your vehicle.”

LeaseLoco’s tips and advice for driving through flooded roads: 

  • Avoid where possible 

Driving in floods should be avoided whenever possible, as water deeper than 4 inches can pose significant risks to both passengers and pedestrians. Floodwater may be deeper and faster moving than it appears, so plan your journey carefully and reroute if needed.

  • Drive slow 

It’s crucial to drive cautiously and at reduced speeds in flooded areas, as driving too fast can force water into your vehicle and cause serious damage. Additionally, splashing pedestrians by driving through puddles at speed is against the law.

  • Drive through the centre 

Roads are engineered to dip at the sides, allowing water to run off into drainage systems, so driving through the centre of a flooded road will ensure you’re not driving through more water than necessary.

  • One at a time 

Take time and be patient when roads are flooded. Drive cautiously to allow cars to drive through the middle of the road one at a time. For people with larger, more robust cars, be mindful and cautious of other vehicles that might not be as sturdy.

  • Low gear 

Driving in a lower gear and maintaining steady revs can help prevent water from entering the exhaust. If water does enter the exhaust, it can cause hydrolock, potentially resulting in severe engine damage.

  • Use headlights 

Visibility is important when roads are flooded, especially in the evenings, as other drivers might not notice reduced speeds or delays caused by cautiously navigating through the centre of floodwater.

  • Air conditioning 

Prevent your car from misting in floods so that your vision is clear for any potential hazards. Keep air flowing by turning the air conditioning on.

  • Remain inside the car 

Flood water is usually caused from systems overflowing, so the water could be grossly contaminated. Stay inside your car, even if you’re waiting for help. Water may also appear to be more shallow than it really is, which can increase danger to individuals who aren’t confident in water.

Motorists can sign up for flood warnings on the GOV.uk website.

Two new stores set to open at The Centre, Livingston

The Centre, Livingston, which is one of the largest shopping centres in the country has unveiled plans to open a new jewellery store, F.Hinds and a 380-seater Marble Buffet restaurant, which will be their first site in a Scottish mall, creating a total of 41 new jobs for the local area.

F.Hinds is a sixth generation, family-run jewellers which opened its first store in London in 1856 and now has 118 stores across the UK, the store will offer a wide range of products for every age, taste and occasion, as well as popular services including jewellery and watch repairs.

The 1,395 sq. ft. store, which will be located next to Ryman, is due to open in August, bringing six new jobs to the shopping centre.

The 15,770 sq. ft. contemporary designed Marble Buffet restaurant, which will create 35 new jobs, will be located above Nando’s on Almondvale Boulevard, and is expected to open in May 2026.

It will feature live cooking stations with skilled chefs creating a wide selection of dishes from around the world including Asian, Indian and European.

The announcement follows the arrival of various new retailers to the shopping centre over the past 18 months, including the first Cinnabon in Scotland, Las Iguanas, wellbeing store Rituals, Danish lifestyle and homeware brand Sostrene Grene, Pop Specs, The Designer Rooms and a 90-seater Starbucks in February.

The new restaurant will complement the existing diverse mix of over 150 stores and eateries at The Centre, Livingston, which includes Flannels, H&M, River Island, M&S, Hotel Chocolat, wagamama and Five Guys, spanning over 1 million sq. ft., with over 3,000 parking spaces.

In addition to welcoming new retailers, the owners, LCP, part of M Core, one of Europe’s leading, privately owned commercial property development and management companies, also recently announced plans to expand into the leisure sector.

The UK’s leading family entertainment provider, Hollywood Bowl, is set to open a 26,000 sq. ft. venue next year featuring 22 cutting-edge bowling lanes, an arcade and a bar and diner, giving shoppers the opportunity to ‘shop, eat and play’ when they visit.

Rakesh Joshi, Director at LCP, part of M Core, said: “We are delighted to welcome another fantastic restaurant, Marble Buffet, to our wide mix of existing places to dine out at The Centre, Livingston and also another leading high-street jewellery brand, F.Hinds.

“We are dedicated to ensuring that all of our new openings continue to keep the shopping centre firmly on the Scottish map as the number one destination to visit and enjoy a great day out with family and friends.”

Simon Eatough, Director at LCP, part of M Core and Asset Manager of The Centre Livingston, said: “We are really looking forward to the opening of the jewellery store, F.Hinds and Marble Buffet’s first site in a shopping centre early next year and delighted they will be creating 41 new jobs in West Lothian.

“The new restaurant will give our visitors even more choice when it comes to enjoying quality time dining out.

“We will continue to strengthen the existing diverse range of eateries and shops at The Centre, Livingston, with even more exciting announcements coming soon.”

Jeremy Hinds, Retail Director at F.Hinds, said: “We’re thrilled to be opening a new F.Hinds store at The Centre, Livingston, a prime destination that aligns with our growth plans in Scotland.

“This new location gives us the opportunity to bring our extensive range of quality jewellery and exceptional customer service to even more people. We look forward to becoming part of the local community and supporting jobs in the area as we continue to expand our national presence.”

A spokesperson for Marble Buffet spokesperson, said: “This is a really exciting time for us at Marble Buffet as we countdown to the launch of our first restaurant in a shopping centre.

“The Centre, Livingston is the perfect location for us and we are really looking forward to welcoming customers locally, and from afar, who want to savour the taste of lots of different international cuisines, all under one roof, where there’s something to suit all tastes.”

Additional new openings at The Centre, Livingston over the past 18 months, include BeLeaf Juice Bar, Beauty’s Inn, Buzart, Afro Crest, Loris Parfum, The Watch Lab, Barclays Bank and Elite Smile Dental Clinic.

Single mum and 74-year-old hoarder among finalists for messiest room prize

Are these the UK’s messiest rooms? Do you have a room that could beat them? 

The search for the messiest room in the country has been extended, and the winner will receive a visit from a viral crime scene cleaner to give the space a proper tidy. 

The competition has been organised by self-storage operator, Space Station, in partnership with Stacey Foyster, a professional crime scene cleaner and founder of Cleansed. The initiative offers the winner a full deep clean, and the transformation could be life changing.  

Unlike a traditional cleaner, Stacey has experience dealing with some of the most extreme and challenging environments imaginable, and says that no room is “too far gone”. 

The competition remains open until Friday 25th July 2025, and here are some of the best entries so far: 

1) Chelsey Ryder (34, Norwich) 

Chelsey began redecorating her bedroom during the Covid lockdown, but was forced to sideline her project as her busy lifestyle took over.  

She said: “I changed my career to safeguarding, which is full on, so I’m exhausted after work. I’m also a single mum to a little boy who will often wake me up in the night and want to get in my bed, so I don’t typically get the best quality sleep and am usually too tired to declutter and tidy. I want to be better at it.” 

2) Karla Gold (39, London)  

Karla has also faced a challenging journey in recent years:  

“This is currently the spare room. It should be the room we are moving one of our twins into, but over the years it’s become a dumping ground for everything and anything. I’ve tried so many times to sort it, but it feels like a losing battle and I’m so desperate to give my son some proper space.” 

3) Chris Fletcher (43, Poole) 

Chris is eager to help his 74-year-old father reclaim his kitchen.  

“This is my dad’s kitchen, he’s a proper hoarder and it is well out of control. He’s 74 and he struggles to live here. He needs help!” 

Whatever your circumstance, however messy your room, simply submit a photo and short description of your space through this link to be in with a chance of winning a professional deep clean:

https://space-station.co.uk/the-search-for-the-uks-messiest-room  

Edinburgh Entrepreneurs launch FringeFlow.Ai to help audiences (and artists) navigate the Festival

  • New AI-powered tool simplifies show selection at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe
  • Developed by a former Fringe performer and local marketing pro to support small acts and reduce choice fatigue for both locals and tourists
  • FringeFlow.Ai helps users build full-day, Fringe itineraries based on personal preferences – no app, no login, and completely free
Screenshot

A pair of Edinburgh-based entrepreneurs have launched a new AI-powered planning tool to help audiences cut through the noise of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe while supporting the thousands of artists who often go unseen.

FringeFlow.Ai is a smart, web-based show planner that creates personalised, walkable day-long itineraries in seconds. Those using the tool simply input their preferences – from comedy and theatre to dance or even “something weird” – along with a date and preferred location. The tool then builds a full itinerary, complete with showtimes and walking routes.

Co-developed by Sean Errey, a former Fringe performer turned marketing professional, alongside a long-time friend with a background in tech, FringeFlow.Ai soft-launched earlier this month and has already attracted positive feedback from seasoned festival-goers and newcomers alike.

“We love the Fringe and the wider festival, but we also know how overwhelming it can be,” says Sean. “When I performed in 2013, I saw incredible small shows struggling to find an audience while others dominated the listings. It’s not simply about talent but about how hard it is to choose on any given day!”

Unlike traditional listings apps, FringeFlow.Ai doesn’t rank shows by budget or buzz. Instead, a built-in randomising algorithm means any show that matches your interests – whether in a large venue or a 12-seat back room – has a fair chance of discovery.

“That randomness is part of what makes the Fringe magical,” says Sean. “We didn’t want to flatten that experience, we simply wanted to make it easier to access.”

There’s nothing to download, no login required, and no charge to use the core service. Audiences can share their itineraries instantly, making it especially useful for groups, first-time visitors or anyone looking to make the most of a single day in Edinburgh.

Sean adds: “This isn’t AI trying to replace creativity – it’s tech designed by people who love and live the Fringe. What we’ve done is build a tool to support discovery, not dictate it. If we make the Fringe more navigable, we make it more inclusive. FringeFlow is about giving more artists a shot at being seen.”

The tool also includes suggestions for food and drink stops between shows, and local cafés, pubs, and restaurants are encouraged to get involved as the festival gets underway – part of a wider effort to support local business.

Calculator used by Scottish scientist to help NASA achieve first manned moon landing donated to National Museums Scotland

Ahead of the anniversary of the first moon landing (20th July 1969), a mechanical calculating machine used by a Scottish scientist in support of the mission has been donated to National Museums Scotland.

The donated object is a Facit Model LX calculator used by Archie Roy (1924-2012), Professor of Astronomy at the University of Glasgow. Professor Roy was an expert in celestial mechanics and orbital motion calculations.

He was asked by NASA to be a consultant on trajectory calculations for spacecraft in a programme of lunar missions that culminated in the Apollo 11 mission which took Neil Armstrong’s crew to become the first humans to set foot on the moon, landing on 20 July 1969.  

Professor Roy is thought to have acquired the mechanical calculator to enable him to carry out his PhD, which he was awarded in 1954, and continued to use it through the 1960s until it was gradually superseded by electronic computers. 

After Professor Roy’s retirement in September 1989, his friend and colleague, the Astronomer Royal for Scotland, John Brown, recognised the calculator’s significance to the history of science and held it for safekeeping before his widow Margaret donated it to National Museums Scotland.  

 Dr Tacye Philipson, Senior Curator of Science at National Museums Scotland, said: “This is a wonderful addition to the National Collection for many reasons.

“It is a visibly well-used piece of kit, reflecting Professor Archie Roy’s long and productive career.

“Moreover, when we think of the array of computational power at our fingertips today with our phones and laptops, it is evocative to look at this completely analogue machine and think that it was instrumental in one of the most extraordinary technological achievements in human history, one unsurpassed and even unrepeated in over 50 years. Professor Roy’s calculator gives us a tangible link to Scotland’s part in that achievement.” 

The Facit Model LX calculator was manufactured in Sweden from 1938 to 1954. The one used by Professor Roy has been added to National Museums Scotland’s extensive Science and Technology collections, where it will be used to make connections with other material relating to space, astronomy and calculation, including a prototype camera designed for use on the moon, and an analogue calculator created for the solution of Kepler’s equation. 

A new approach to mental health is tackling NHS backlog

Innovative pricing model to boost access to support

A GROWING number of people in Scotland struggling with mental health are being offered access to support thanks to a fairer pricing structure introduced by an innovative community interest company.

Connections Counselling, founded earlier this year by trained counsellor Ian Nicholson-Kapasi, is using a tiered-fee model designed to remove financial barriers and offer accessible counselling to those most in need.

Based in Edinburgh’s Drill Hall, the service has quickly drawn attention for its bold stance on affordability. The tiered system sees clients on lower incomes paying what they can afford, sometimes as little as £1 per session, while clients with greater means may contribute more, helping to subsidise access for others who may not be able to afford the same help.

Ian said: “I set up Connections Counselling to challenge the systemic inequality that exists within mental health services.

“We know the most vulnerable in our society are often least able to afford counselling. People in distress face enough challenges as it is. Lifting financial barriers helps create the space for those seeking change, to take meaningful steps toward helping themselves.”

Ian has drawn from personal experiences and years of training to launch the practice. Every £600 raised through the service guarantees 15 sessions of counselling at £40 per session, which will be offered to those otherwise unable to afford it.  

While the core cost is covered, clients are still encouraged to contribute a nominal amount, helping preserve the value of the therapeutic relationship.

He added: “Our tiered system is designed to create fairer access, not just for those who can afford therapy, but for everyone. A higher fee doesn’t necessarily reflect the quality of the service, but often how a counsellor values their own time or circumstances. That’s not the same as the quality of the relationship.

“For many clients, especially those working through issues of self-worth, this can unintentionally reinforce a power imbalance. Our Tier 1 ‘pay-what-you-can’ model offers an alternative, one that honours client agency and sees the therapeutic relationship as a shared space of respect and care.”

The initiative comes at a time when the NHS is under unprecedented pressure, with wait times for mental health support in some areas stretching over a year.

While CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) remains the standard modality offered through the NHS, Connections Counselling adopts a more holistic approach, incorporating person-centred and psychodynamic therapies to better serve clients working with challenges such as trauma or understanding neurodivergent needs.

Ian explains: “There are incredible people working within the NHS, but the system is under strain, narrowly focused with CBT as a singular modality approach and doesn’t help enough with limited sessions.

“We want to help by offering longer-term, trauma-informed care that allows people to build meaningful therapeutic relationships. That flexibility can be vital in helping someone properly recover.”

Since launching, Connections has seen a growing waiting list for its tier one services. However, limited access to early-stage funding means growth is being restricted at a time when demand is surging.

“We are actively looking to partner with funders and businesses who share our vision of sustainable, accessible mental health care. Even modest donations can make a lasting impact.”

In addition to eliminating upfront cost barriers, the practice has also scrapped the widely used 24-hour cancellation fee, recognising it as a punitive measure that disproportionately impacts clients already in distress.

“Let’s say someone cannot leave the house due to anxiety, crisis, childcare issue or other common life happenings – charging them for a missed appointment reinforces not just a power imbalance but a financial barrier too – one that might be enough to stop someone who really needs access to support, from seeking it altogether. That is not how healing works,” he said.

“Unless a counsellor also offers money back, or a free next session if they (the counsellor) missed one, then they are actually saying to a client that their time is more valuable than the clients. This is not an ethical approach to counselling.”

While still in its preliminary stages, the practice already has ambitions for growth, including peer-support groups for practitioners and potential longer-term expansions into new locations across Edinburgh, Scotland and the UK.

Ian added: “The goal is to build a community of counsellors and clients who support each other. If the model proves successful in Edinburgh, there is no reason we cannot replicate it elsewhere.”

The service is open to referrals and currently accepts clients both online and in-person around the UK. Individuals or organisations interested in supporting the initiative can find more details via the Connections Counselling website.

Corstorphine Community Centre: Tea Dance tickets selling fast

SATURDAY 26th JULY 2 – 4pm

Tickets are selling fast for our Tea Dance on Saturday 26th July so get your dancing shoes on and come along for a fun afternoon!!

Our DJ, Colin, will play your favourite songs on request..

Tickets are available from our Charity Shop, 5 Kirk Loan

Edinburgh Art Festival

When: Wed 6 August

Time: 10am – 12pm (noon)

Where: The EAF25 Pavilion. Located at Outer Spaces, 45 Leith St, EH1 3AT and then across the city to visit partner venues and artists across the city including Linder, Mike Nelson, Wael Shawky, Andy Goldsworthy and Jonathan Baldock. 

Save the date as the UK’s largest annual festival of visual art returns to Edinburgh this August (7th—24th) with a packed programme of exhibitions, events, and collaborations taking place across the city for the three week festival — the biggest of its kind in the UK. 

More information on this year’s programme:

Opening EAF25 is Linder’s A kind of glamour about me at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, a large-scale performance coinciding with her retrospective Danger Came Smiling at the same venue.  Further new commissions include film work by CJ Mahony and Lewis Hetherington, and long-term research projects with Trans Masc Studies. Closing EAF25 is BORNSICK, a new performance co-commissioned with Serpentine by Lewis Walker, a London-born queer, non-binary artist working with the extremes of movement.

EAF25 will be based in a new central EAF25 Pavilion, supported by Outer Spaces, bringing together new works and residencies. Here, Lewis Hetherington and CJ Mahony’s installation will draw intimate connections between Scottish queer people across the span of the country’s history.  

Memory Is A Museum, an EAF-commissioned ongoing research project by Trans Masc Studies traces the histories of masculine-leaning gender diversity in Scotland. EAF’s support of emerging artists continues with Hamish Halley, the first recipient of the new Early Career Artist-in-Residence Award, with an installation at The People’s Story Museum. The Pavilion will also host screenings of My Blood Runs Purple, an experimental short film by Ria Andrews and Jj Fadaka.

Alice Rekab’s Let Me Show You Who I Am unfolds across billboards, examining legacies of migration and strategies of survival within the family unit, with a focus on intergenerational experiences of Irish, Black and Mixed-Race life, co-commissioned with Liverpool Biennial. Brandon Logan presents Little Low Heavens, an intimate collection of paintings, curated for the domestic spaces of Bard in Leith. Más Arte Más Acción’s Around a Tree from EAF24 will return permanently for EAF25 activated by performance from trans-Indigenous artist and biologist UÝRA.

The UK premiere of Voiceless Mass by Diné/Navajo and composer Raven Chacon will take place at St Giles Cathedral as a collaboration between EAF and Fruitmarket. 

JUPITER RISING X EAF will return for a one-night-only music and art festival, with line-up including TAAHLIAH, Florence Peake, Roxanne Tataei, and Ponyboy. At Blackie House Library and Museum’s RING OF TRUTH brings together visual artists, musicians, and writers in response to the enigmatic Music of the Spheres manuscript.

Fruitmarket will present a new body of work by Mike Nelson, known for his immersive, absorbing installations that entirely transform spaces. Talbot Rice Gallery will present a solo exhibition by Wael Shawky, following his representation in the Egyptian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2024. At Stills Centre for Photography is an extensive collection of photos from Siân Davey’s series, The Garden. Jonathan Baldock is set to bring queer folklore to Jupiter Artland new sculptural work that combines earthly delights with surreal mythologies to bring together new stories. Alongside this, a new film by Guy Oliver traces social, cultural and personal histories and interrogating notions of masculinity. 

Ingleby Gallery will present Mirror Matter, a first major UK show of work from Aubrey Levinthal. The Scottish Gallery will present Victoria Crowe at 80: Decades, an exhibition showcasing a powerful collection of new paintings, which reflect six decades of Crowe’s working career. 

Sett Studios present FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS, inviting the local artist community to participate in a salon-style exhibition, and Get in Loser, We’re Going to Sett Studios, showcasing the work of studio-holders as collaborators in a non-hierarchical art space. The Travelling Gallery will be presenting SEEDLINGS: DIASPORIC IMAGINARIES, a group exhibition exploring new ways to connect with our worlds through other-than-human perspectives. 

Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop presents Beachheads by Louise Gibson, an exhibition of monumental sculpture crafted from the detritus of late capitalism and work by Megan Rudden which explores the idea of the ecotone, a transitional space between two states. Edinburgh Printmakers will display work by Robert Powell, a multidisciplinary printmaker and the work of Aqsa Arif, whose printmaking, textile, sculpture and film explores elements of Pakistani folklore. 

Collective presents Fire on the Mountain, Light on the Hill, the first solo presentation in Scotland by visual and performance artist Mercedes Azpilicueta. At Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh  Fungi Sessions marks the première of Hannah Read’s albums The Fungi Sessions, and at Dovecot Studios, IKEA: Magical Patterns explores six decades of groundbreaking textile design.

At City Art Centre is John Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture which  captures the span of an extraordinary life and career through the lens of the artist’s own eyes and Out of Chaos: Post-War Scottish Art 1945—2000, a range of artworks from the permanent collection. The National Galleries of Scotland hosts a major retrospective by sculptor Andy Goldsworthy and an exhibition conceived by acclaimed artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen, Resistance, which explores how acts of resistance have shaped life in the UK, and the powerful role of photography in documenting and driving change.

At Edinburgh College of Art, Tipping Point and Authenticity Unmasked explore how artists can help us more wisely respond to AI. The King’s Gallery will showcase Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography, an exhibition that charts the evolution of royal portrait photography from the 1920s to the present day. 

Full EAF25 Programme 

UK Government pledge to cut sewage pollution in half by 2030

ENVIRONMENT SECRETARY TAKES ON ENGLAND’s WATER COMPANIES

Sewage pollution from water companies will be cut in half by the end of the decade, the Environment Secretary Steve Reed will pledge today. 

Our rivers, lakes and seas will be the cleanest since records began, meaning millions of families will benefit from cleaner beaches and rivers.  

For the first time the Government has made a pledge to cut sewage pollution with a clear target which they will be held accountable to, but campaigners say the Government’s pledge is ‘too little, too late’.

The Government, in partnership with investors, has secured funding to rebuild the entire water network to clean up our rivers. 

In one of the largest infrastructure projects in this country’s history, a record £104 billion is being invested to upgrade crumbling pipes and build new sewage treatment works cutting sewage pollution into rivers.  

Over the past year, the Government has introduced a package of measures to slash pollution levels. Bills are now ringfenced to force companies to invest in upgrades and over £100 million of water fines are being spent on local clean-up projects.  

The commitment comes as the Government vows “root and branch reform” to usher in a revolution in the water industry, ahead of the Independent Water Commission’s final report, which will be published tomorrow.

Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: “Families have watched their local rivers, coastlines and lakes suffer from record levels of pollution.

“My pledge to you: the Government will halve sewage pollution from water companies by the end of the decade.

“One of the largest infrastructure projects in England’s history will clean up our rivers, lakes and seas for good.” 

 The Government has already taken decisive action to clean up England’s waterways:

  • Record investment: with £104 billion to upgrade crumbling pipes and build sewage treatment works across the country.  
  • Ringfence customers’ bills for upgrades: customer bills earmarked for investment must now be spent on new sewage pipes and treatment works – not spent on shareholder payments or bonuses.  
  • Reinvesting company fines into local projects: with over £100million being invested into local clean-up projects in communities.  
  • Largest budget for water regulation: the Environment Agency received a record £189 million to fund hundreds of enforcement officers to inspect and prosecute polluting water companies. 
  • Polluter Pays: companies will now cover the cost of prosecutions and successful investigations into pollution incidents, enabling the regulator to hire more staff and pursue further enforcement activity.  
  • Banning wet wipes containing plastic in England: introducing legislation to reduce microplastics in our waters. 
  • The Water (Special Measures) Act: banned unfair bonuses for ten polluting water bosses this year and threatened prison sentences for law-breaking executives. 

This package of measures will slash storm overflow spills by 50% by 2030 and halve phosphorus from treated wastewater by 2028. 

Both contaminants choke our rivers, suffocate wildlife and destroy ecosystems. In 2024, sewage spilled into waterways for a record 3,614,428 hours.  

Pollution levels were a decisive factor in the Government launching the Independent Water Commission last October – the largest review of the sector since privatisation.     

Led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, the Commission’s final report will be published tomorrow with recommendations on regulation, strategic frameworks and support for consumers.

The Government will respond to the recommendations in Parliament on Monday.  

Environment Secretary Steve Reed’s pledge is based on:   

  • A 50% reduction in spills from storm overflows – an outlet from the public sewer that spills both sewage and rainwater into the environment – by 2030. 
  • A 50% reduction in the amount of phosphorus from water company treated wastewater entering our waterways by the end of January 2028. 
  • Work with devolved governments to ban wet wipes containing plastic across the UK. We will go further to tackle the issues caused by unflushables to reduce plastic and microplastic pollution, particularly in our waters. 
  • Continued work on pre-pipe measures, such as sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) which help to reduce pressure on the sewerage system.     
  • The start of trials by water companies of nature-based solutions, such as constructed wetlands, to investigate if they can be used in the treatment process to reduce harm.