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On Site at St John Street: Healthy Streets Everyday II Partners

22nd June 2026 / Posted by Ross Phillips

In June, CRP welcomed Healthy Streets Everyday II partners to St John’s Street in the London Borough of Islington for a Steering Group meeting and site visit. 

The visit showcased a transformed streetscape, with improved cycling conditions, more space for walking, wheeling and scooting, and enhanced greenery to support biodiversity. Partners experienced first-hand the greening, sustainable urban drainage and public realm improvements delivered by the London Borough of Islington, Central District Alliance (CDA) and collaborators. Mediterranean-style planting has been introduced to better withstand rising temperatures linked to climate change. 

Central District Alliance has played a key role in engaging local businesses, helping maximise both environmental and economic benefits, setting the stage for a vibrant summer of al fresco dining. 

These interventions have created a greener, safer and more welcoming street for all. 

CRP extends thanks to all partners for their continued collaboration, and to the Mayor of London for funding the scheme through Round 4 of the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund.  

For more information on our Healthy Streets Everyday II programme, please contact CRP’s Senior Development Manager rossphillips@crossriverpartnership.org 

CRP Announces New Interim Director Fiona Coull

22nd June 2026 / Posted by Susannah Wilks

CRP is excited to announce Fiona Coull as its Interim Director.  Fiona will lead CRP until the Autumn time, when the competitively recruited external Director will take up the position. 

Fiona has already been managing large delivery programmes and overseeing finances for CRP for 6 years, so is extremely well-placed to lead the partnership over this transition period. 

In the words of Fiona: “I’m looking forward to building on the excellent work already underway at CRP. With the support of our fantastic team, I’m excited to continue driving forward our priorities over the coming months.” 

Outgoing CRP Director Susannah Wilks said: “Fiona brings a wealth of experience, skills, expertise and knowledge to the table.  CRP partners, funders and agencies will receive a completely seamless service from CRP under her leadership.”   

For any queries, please contact CRP Interim Director Fiona Coull 

CRP Champions Sustainable River Freight Innovation with Partners

22nd June 2026 / Posted by Fiona Coull

Earlier this month CRP was pleased to bring partners together for a dedicated event to experience the Lightning Clipper – a fully electric freight vessel developed by Thames Clippers.  

Despite the challenging weather, it was fantastic to see partners engaging directly with the vessel, including a behind-the-scenes look at its control centre. The event highlighted the value of collaboration, and the important role partnerships will continue to play in shaping the future of sustainable logistics in London. 

Events like this form a key part of CRP’s approach: convening partners to explore new, practical solutions that support a more efficient, resilient and sustainable London. As demand for goods continues to grow, there is an increasing need to diversify how freight moves across the capital. The River Thames presents a unique strategic asset, offering a congestion-free corridor capable of supporting greater modal shift, reducing reliance on road-based deliveries, and contributing to wider air quality, freight and decarbonisation goals. 

Additionally, the Lightning Clipper provides a strong example of how innovation is helping to unlock this potential. By combining river transport with low-emission technology, it demonstrates how freight operations can be both sustainable and commercially viable, while supporting the wider transition to cleaner supply chains. 

For any queries, please contact CRP Interim Director Fiona Coull 

Celebrating 10 Years of London Rivers Week

18th May 2026 / Posted by Katherine Fairfax

London Rivers Week will take place between Saturday 23rd May and Sunday 31st May 2026 and is a week-long annual campaign inspiring the public to celebrate all of London’s rivers and the many projects taking place to protect them. The theme for 2026 is ‘Know Your Local River’ and aims to encourage Londoners to identify, explore and connect with their nearest river.  

This year marks the 10th anniversary of London Rivers Week – a decade of celebrating, protecting and improving London’s incredible network of rivers and waterways 

There are a range of exciting events taking place across the week including:  

  • Guided walks 
  • Public art  
  • Community workshops 
  • Educational events 

Find out more information here: https://www.thames21.org.uk/joinacampaign/london-rivers-week-2026/  

 The event is organised by the London Rivers Week Steering Group on behalf of River Partnerships in London (RiPL), including the Environment Agency, Thames21, South East Rivers Trust, London Wildlife Trust, ZSL, CPRE London, and the Thames Estuary Partnership.  

Through our partnership-led approach, CRP has delivered a range of projects connected to the Thames, including retrofitting for London’s first fully electric workboat and the London Light Freight River Trial.  

Contact CRP Senior Programme Manager Fiona Coull to find out more about CRP’s work on the Thames.  

South Bank & Waterloo Sustains Us Delivery Plan 2026-2030

18th May 2026 / Posted by Isidora Rivera Vollmer

We’re really pleased to share the news that the South Bank & Waterloo Sustains Us Delivery Plan 2026-2030 has officially launched, marking an exciting new chapter for the South Bank and Waterloo area.

This plan serves as a practical roadmap for creating a fairer and greener neighbourhood over the next four years. It’s fantastic to see that the goals are based directly on local feedback gathered at the Shaping our Future event and the Wonderful Waterloo and South Bank Fun Day. It’s a great example of how community insights can shape a long-term vision. 

We are thrilled to see our work featured as a case study, specifically the CRP Waterloo Freight Hub as well as the improvements at Hercules Road, delivered through our Healthy Streets Everyday II (HSEII) programme. These projects show exactly how sustainable freight and improved public spaces contribute to the plan’s wider goals. 

The plan breaks down the Sustains Us vision into clear actions across four main programme goals. It highlights projects already on the ground and sets out specific priorities through to 2030. By acting as a shared resource for residents, businesses, and partners, the plan makes it much easier for everyone to stay coordinated and work together. 

You can read the full plan and see the CRP case study (pages 16-18) here: Sustains Us Delivery Plan 2026 – 2030.

The Port of London Authority’s Environment Fund is Open for Applications

18th May 2026 / Posted by Fiona Coull

The Port of London Authority has launched this year’s Thames Environment Fund with a great range of opportunities to support environmental work along the tidal Thames. 

There are three funding routes this year: 

£100k to support environmental improvement programmes that can make a strategic difference to the tidal Thames.  

£50k to empower community groups making a difference to their local environment.  

£25k for groups dedicated to caring for tributaries of the tidal Thames.   

The deadline is Tuesday 30 June, so there is still time to explore the opportunities and apply! You can find full details on the PLA website (Thames Environment Fund) or get in touch with them directly at environment@pla.co.uk.

CRP in Action: Highlights from Recent Events

18th May 2026 / Posted by Maisha Anam

Over the last couple of months CRP have been delighted to attend a variety of events across the sector, helping us stay connected to the latest developments and the ideas driving our work forward. These opportunities allow us to engage directly with peers across the industry, share ideas and stay informed on emerging priorities. 

Being actively involved in our networks is an important part of what we do at CRP. It helps us build strong relationships and ensures we’re bringing relevant insights back into our projects. 

Events that CRP has had the opportunity to attend include: 

The Centre of Ageing Resilience in a Changing Environment (CARICE) Science and Networking Conference at King’s College London, focused on lifestyle, health span and resilience. It was a valuable experience hearing insights from leading researchers and practitioners to explore how nutrition, physical activity and the microbiome can support healthy, ageing and resilient communities.  

Innovation Zero 2026 was an insightful event that highlighted both the opportunities and the urgency behind delivering a resilient, low carbon London. The key takeaways were that delivering true climate progress requires deeper decarbonisation of energy supply alongside infrastructure changes, stronger policies on increasingly local and urgent climate risks, and more joined-up, collaborative approaches across interconnected policy areas. 

The Transport Planning Society’s Designing Equitable Communities event was a thoughtful and energising session on how transport and place design can work better for everyone. The focus on designing with women and girls in mind was particularly powerful, with clear links to improved safety, accessibility and confidence for all users. 

CRP were also delighted to be welcomed to E.ON to take a tour around Citigen, a hidden power station buried in the heart of London which supplies decentralised district energy, a lower carbon and cost-efficient source of energy. It was a great opportunity to better understand how district energy systems operate in practice and the role they can play in supporting lower carbon energy solutions. 

These events have provided valuable opportunities for CRP to connect, share insights and stay informed on key issues. 

Walk This May for National Walking Month 

18th May 2026 / Posted by Ross Phillips

This month CRP have launched our latest Healthy Streets Everyday II campaign Walk This May, helping you to discover cleaner, healthier walking routes that you can use to get around London on foot.  

We’ve curated four leisure walking routes that prioritise lower air pollution, quieter streets and more pleasant environments, making it easier for you to explore your streets in London. The routes cover:  

  • Camden to Regents Park 
  • Vauxhall to Oval  
  • America Street to Hercules Road  
  • Somerset House to Senate House 

Why do these routes matter? Well, choosing to walk for shorter journeys, instead of drive, will improve your physical and mental health and reduce pollution, helping everyone to breathe cleaner air in London.  

The campaign coincides with Living Streets’ National Walking Month, that this year prioritises the benefits of walking or wheeling for women, coinciding with a celebratory mass walking event across the UK on Friday 29th May.  

CRP routes mean you get to explore new neighbourhoods and discover new parts of London, including initiatives delivered through our Healthy Streets Everyday II programme, supported by the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund!

For more information on our Healthy Streets Everyday II programme, please contact CRP Sustainable Transport Manager Ross Phillips.

Local Government Elections

18th May 2026 / Posted by Susannah Wilks

The CRP Team is as excited as everyone else about the new opportunities for collaboration following the recent Local Government Election Results.   

CRP has seen many different Elections over its 30 year history and each one throws up the chance to check in, re-prioritise, refresh and innovate what we are all doing in London, as well as how we are doing it. 

Huge congratulations to all the Councillors who have gained or held seats!   

We look forward to continuing to work closely with London Boroughs led by a range of different parties to deliver projects that make good sense to all. 

Please don’t hesitate to contact the CRP Team if you would like a briefing about the #Project Delivery work we can do for you.  

Here’s to continuing to work together in partnership across London’s Boroughs and Business Improvement Districts for better outcomes for Londoners, businesses and visitors.  We can do it! 

CRP Board Holds In-Person Meeting at Iconic Tower Bridge Venue

18th May 2026 / Posted by Susannah Wilks

Last month’s CRP Board meeting took place in-person at Tower Bridge North Lounge.   

It was a truly spectacular setting at which to formally thank Simon Pitkeathley for his 15 years Co-Chairing the CRP Board. 

We really appreciate the City of London Corporation’s Simon Duckworth (CRP Board Public Sector Co-Chair) arranging special access to this venue for us. 

Please see a short video showing all CRP Partners collaborating: https://youtube.com/shorts/-2ooCRWDlsk?feature=share 

At the meeting the CRP Team launched the final version CRP Annual Report & Business Plan 2025-27 – Cross River Partnership. 

Westminster City Council’s Richard Cressey is leading the recruitment process to select a new Director for CRP.  The application closing date was 17th May 2026.  Thank you very much to Simon Duckworth, Nadia Broccardo, Hasanul Hoque, James Crosbie and Natalie Monaghan for sitting on interview panels.  Watch this space for an announcement in due course! 

The next meeting of the CRP Board will be in-person at Team London Bridge‘s offices, on 8th October 2026 – thank you very much to CRP Board Private Sector Co-Chair Nadia Broccardo for hosting this. 

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