Overview
- Official results show 93% of 449 designated sites rated at least sufficient, with 297 classed as excellent and 32 labelled poor.
- High-profile beaches rated poor include Bognor Regis, Scarborough South Bay, Littlehaven in South Shields and Cullercoats Bay, where swimming is not advised.
- River sites fared worst, with only Friars Meadow on the River Stour rated good and Wallingford Beach on the Thames rated sufficient, leaving 12 of 14 rivers rated poor.
- The Environment Agency points to storm overflows and agricultural run-off as main causes, while campaigners reject references to animals and call for real-time testing.
- Rules now in force end automatic de-designation after five poor years, allow flexible monitoring, and add feasibility tests for new designations, with further criteria changes due in May 2026.