Petition Launched to Combat River Pollution Crisis

A petition is demanding urgent action to stop pollution of The Cut after the huge Daler Rowney fire in Bracknell.

Launched by local residents, it urges the council to use its powers under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to tackle what campaigners call "illegal commercial pollution". Allegations include toxic discharges into the river, harmful atmospheric emissions and damage to nearby woodlands.

The blaze on Peacock Lane on Bank Holiday Monday 25 May prompted a large emergency response. Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue area manager Tim Readings said firewater used at the scene had been contained and held on site to keep it away from the water table and the river.

Despite that, residents want answers. The petition states: "We demand absolute accountability and statutory law enforcement from our governing authorities to protect Bracknell's environment." Campaigners say commercial run-off has caused foaming, harmed aquatic life, contaminated the water table and damaged habitats for protected wildlife, including birds and swans. They also warn of a public health risk from unregulated industrial fumes.

Signatories want Bracknell Forest Council, Thames Water and the Environment Agency to issue "Stop Notices," enforce maximum fines, and install 24/7 environmental monitoring and CCTV at industrial sites. They also demand polluters fund an independent, transparent ecological recovery plan for The Cut and surrounding woodlands.

The petition runs from 20 June 2026 to 20 December 2026 and is available to sign on the Bracknell Forest Council website. Visit democratic.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?id=78 to sign the petition.

Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter