News / floating harbour
Bristol harbour swimming pilot to begin in April
Legally swimming in the harbour will soon become a reality.
Bristol City Council is launching a pilot scheme which will see the popular body of water opened up to the public for swimming for the first time.
After an initial test swim in March, the harbour will be opened up from April 29 on Saturdays and Sundays for one-hour public swim sessions at a cost of £7 per person, and will run for five weeks.
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Bristol24/7 understands that the Baltic Wharf section of the harbour will be cordoned-off with lifeguards and safety boats, and access to the swimming area will be accessed via a ramp in front of the harbourside pub, the Cottage Inn.
Lifeguards and safety boats will be introduced to the Baltic Wharf side of the harbour – photo: Martin Booth
Writing in a blog post, mayor Marvin Rees said he recognised that open water swimming “has become increasingly popular over recent years.”
Rees said the trial would allow the council to assess whether or not it can provide a designated open water swimming area that is safe and financially sustainable.
“We have listened to people’s requests for a safe swimming space in our harbour and have been working with local and experienced partners to explore how we can make this a reality,” said Rees.
“We have also been working with partners like Wessex Water to check the water quality and look at how we can put in place additional testing to ensure it is safe before allowing people into the water.”
“Throughout the pilot we will monitor costs, up-take, and any impact on our ability to maintain a safe environment throughout our harbour.”
The news comes after months of campaigning by groups who want to see some parts of the harbour turned into safe swimming zones. This includes demands to regulate the levels of pollution in the harbour, and to make it safe to swim in.
Main photo: Martin Booth
Read next:
- ‘Education, not prohibition, should be the answer to wild swimming’
- Campaigners want to see swimming allowed in Bristol’s floating harbour
- Swimmers return for Cumberland basin protest dip
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