One of my favourite things about Reading is that we have one of the country’s main water courses running through the town, the very reason our town exists in fact. Our rivers are a peaceful sanctuary from the busy day to day town environment and are generally surrounded in the main by green space used by residents to relax, exercise or walk the dog.
If you’ve been down by the riverside, you may have seen some new signage which has gone up along the banks of the Thames and Kennet which you will soon become familiar with.
The eight new signs have throwlines attached and instructions on how to use them. They are six locations either side of the River Thames, from Kings Meadow in the east to the tow path near Cow Lane in the west. On the River Kennet, there is one at Fobney Lock, near Smallmead, and another at County Lock, near to the town centre.
The throwlines are in locked cases with specific location information clearly marked, just in case someone gets in trouble in the water. There is also clear information about how to unlock them by calling 999, and how to use them.
Hopefully you will never have to, but it’s a good idea to take a few minutes to have a read if you are passing that way. It’s also always a good idea to start a conversation with your family, especially if you have children, about the very real dangers of jumping or trying to swim in our rivers.
The signs have been paid for by developer contributions through what is called a Community Infrastructure Levy, or CIL for short. When a company seeks permission from the Council to build, there is a charge which can be spent on things to benefit the wider community. The new signage and throwlines are a good example of these community benefits.
The very best advice is not to jump in or try to swim in them in the first place. While they may look beautifully tranquil and calm on the surface, there are some real hidden dangers, the main one being the temperature. No matter if it’s 30 degrees or more on a balmy hot summer’s day, the water remains icy cold. When someone jumps into freezing water the body instinctively reacts and goes into shock. Breathing cannot easily be controlled and water can quickly enter into the lungs. A panicked swimmer will struggle, only to gulp down more water, and when limbs stop coordinating, it can leading to sinking and drowning.
There are also all sorts of rubbish under the surface of the water which you can get caught or injured on, including bikes and trolleys.
So please remember, if you or your children want to swim on a hot summer’s day, the safest place is in our Leisure Centres at Rivermead, South Reading, Palmer Park and Meadway, and if you do choose to boat or paddleboard, please wear the correct life jackets.
Cllr Liz Terry is the leader of Reading Borough Council
