The charity making life better by water

Islington Eco-Mooring Zone trial

The Canal & River Trust and Islington Council have launched the trial ‘eco-mooring’ zone for visiting boats between King's Cross and Angel, either side of the Islington Tunnel on the Regent’s Canal.

London eco-mooring zone trial

Update: Eco-moorings are open

Zone 3 will be finalised during 2021 and will be advertised on site and on this webpage when it is confirmed.

  • Zone 1: Colbrooke Row to Danbury Street - Completed
  • Zone 2: Treaty Street to York Way - Completed
  • Zone 3: Caledonian Road to Muriel Street – TBC

The visitor moorings can be booked 14 days in advance via our website. Please note that boaters will need a Meter Macs account to access the electricity supply.

When booking the visitor mooring you will be asked to agree to the terms and conditions which along with the booking portal can be found on our website.

If you encounter any issues with the eco-mooring zone, written feedback can be sent to: [email protected].

We've also produced a frequently asked questions document that can be viewed here.

Background

Supported by funding from DEFRA, Islington Council and the Trust, the zone will include electric charging points to provide boaters with an alternative to running boat engines when moored to generate energy, and a programme of energy advice and support for boaters.

This comes as the issue of air quality gains greater public attention, with both local and national government increasingly committed to measures to reduce air pollution in our cities.

Our research shows that, while the impact of boat emissions is minimal in comparison to pollution from road traffic, the people most at risk from engine fumes are boaters themselves. Using cleaner sources of energy, like electric charging points, will benefit boaters' health.

While living on the waterways can be a sustainable and environmentally friendly choice, in some busy areas the impact of engine noise and fumes can affect both waterside residents and other boaters. Boaters live close to nature and many are keen to embrace green initiatives like solar panels and clean fuel. The Eco-mooring zone will enable boaters to reduce their reliance on using their engines for energy and to embrace a greener way of life.

With grant funding from DEFRA secured, alongside contributions from Islington Council and the Trust, we are now working together to implement the trial scheme. Now the site is live, there will be a transition period of two years during which there will be no running of diesel engines or generators permitted on site.

During the trial, there will be a progressive encouragement for boaters mooring here to move from burning solid fuels to using electricity for their heating, hot water and cooking. At the end of the two-year trial period there will be an evaluation to assess the feasibility of making the Eco-mooring zone completely smoke-free, with no solid fuel stoves permitted.

Boaters' forum 2019

During September 2019 we held discussions with boaters about the practical and technical aspects of the project, to inform its design and delivery.

There was an open meeting for boaters to hear about the project and the details of the design. Boaters shared their views with the project team about the location and design of the bollards, the management of the moorings, and the programme of support and good practice dissemination.

The results of the discussions were used to inform the plans for the Eco-mooring zone.

Air quality monitoring

Islington Council has secured additional funding from DEFRA to deliver a programme of boater engagement and support to help raise awareness of the positive changes that boaters can make and provide practical support.

As part of this programme, Imperial College London (ICL) have been working with boaters to understand how different heating systems within canal boats affects the air quality within the boat.

The research has been completed by Imperial College London in collaboration with Islington Council and Canal & River Trust.

ICL will be publishing the outcomes of their work in 2021, and a link will be included on this webpage.

Last Edited: 13 September 2023

photo of a location on the canals
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