Ahead of summer, 27 new spots are being designated as official bathing sites, causing mixed feelings among anglers.
It’s the largest ever roll-out by the government, from Devon’s River Dart to Yorkshire’s River Nidd. This is despite frustration from rod licence-buying anglers that other water users can access the rivers for free.
The first inland bathing site on the River Wharfe at Ilkley, West Yorkshire, was designated back in 2020, when it was hoped that water quality would improve thanks to tighter monitoring. However, that site still regularly fails to meet water quality standards.
Water Minister, Robbie Moore, said: “These popular swimming spots will undergo regular monitoring to enable action to be taken if minimum standards aren’t being met.”
But the Angling Trust is concerned that isn’t enough. “The designation means these sites will be subject to tests and monitoring during the bathing season – May to September – but not at other times of year,” said Stuart Singleton-White, the Trust’s head of campaigns.
“Testing and monitoring is only the first step. It does not mean there will be an immediate improvement in water quality at these sites, as we have seen at Ilkley.”
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