Campaigners have taken their battle against a Brentford boat mooring proposal to the High Court.

For the past two years several groups have been united in objection to a plan, which would allow boats to moor by the mouth of the River Brent, where it joins the Thames.

Regents Network – which campaigns to bring London’s waterways “back to life” – claims the proposal would block more than one-third of the river mouth, impede safe navigation and seriously threaten the development of water freight transport.

Group spokesman and member of the London Waterways Commission, Del Brenner, said: “The River Brent is a vital link and will contribute to tens of thousands of lorries being taken off London’s roads. This will have major consequences for climate change.

“The appeal decision from the Secretary of State to allow the moorings to block the waterway flies in the face of the Government’s own transport policies and disregards the significant environmental benefits that will result with the modal shift of freight from roads to water.”

The proposal was originally turned down by the area’s planning committee but a planning inspector working on behalf of the Secretary of State granted an appeal. The judicial review in the High Court, which is being “fully supported” by committee member, Councillor Andrew Dakers, seeks to overturn this.

Applicant of the challenge and boater, Nigel Moore, said: “I am angry that the waterways and Thames are disregarded and also that important environmental benefits that the waterways could deliver are constantly sidelined. It is established that a public right of navigation still exists over the River Brent. This mooring proposal to obstruct that right is outrageous.”

However, a spokesman for British Waterways, which backs the proposal, said: “British Waterways believes that the proposed new mooring scheme would enhance the attractiveness and use of the river without adversely affecting traffic.”

The River Brent is a major waterway in London and a gateway from the Thames to an extensive canal network that spreads throughout the capital – designated by the Department for Transport as one of the core waterways in the country with the potential for freight transport.

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