The Water Minister Rebecca Pow visited Chambers Wharf to see the progress being made on Tideway’s work to prevent sewage pollution in the River Thames.

Ministers headed to key points of infrastructure investment across the UK during the week to reaffirm the government’s ‘pledge to drive forward an infrastructure revolution’.

Ms Pow, who was celebrating her birthday, met with Construction Superintendent Paul Brooks and Tideway CEO Andy Mitchell on Thursday for a tour of the site and an overview of the Tideway project.

The tour enabled the minister to see inside the giant on-site acoustic enclosure, which houses a 70-metre-deep shaft from which point a tunnelling machine is set to begin digging next year.

In a video posted online, Ms Pow said: “On a day when ministers are out showcasing some of the incredible infrastructure projects that this government is backing, I’ve come to one of the most exciting, here in Southwark.

“I’ve come to the Thames Tideway Tunnel site – this is where they are building the enormous sewer that will go under the River Thames and take sewage from the city and make sure that it’s all treated properly so our rivers will be cleaned up once and for all.

“One of the really interesting things about this project is that they’re also working on the whole river to make sure that whilst this project is underway, we also rekindle that love affair with the River Thames – and it’s going to be the most beautiful environment to live, work and play in for a very long time into the future.”