1) A shot in the arm was given to British Waterways attempts to catch up on its backlog of maintenance work at the beginning of October, when the Waterways Minister announced an extra £19.75 million of funding. Lord Whitby is backing the move to induce good’s traffic off the road network, putting the Government’s money where its mouth is. Over the five financial years from April 1999, BW now has an additional £44 million grant in aid in the kitty for maintenance.
2) A parallel announcement was made by the Environment Minister in mid-October. Michael Meacher awarded the Environment Agency an extra £2 million towards its navigation budget, raising the grant for 2001/ 2002 to £4.2 million. However, the cash will go towards maintenance work mostly in South East England. Projects on the rivers Thames and Nene, and Rye Harbour will benefit mostly.
3) The River Weaver in Northwich could receive a face-lift. BW is backing Vale Royal Borough Council’s draft strategy document “Northwich - a Town for Tomorrow”; and is contributing cash towards the Council’s consultation process. BW has an eye on prospective riverside development and would have a major involvement.
4) Like to train as a brickie? IWA is introducing a training award scheme for volunteer canal restorers. It will award £750 every 6 months towards the costs of a training programme adjudged to be appropriate by a panel of experts. Instruction in piloting a JCB may perhaps be more suitable than laying bricks.
5) Names familiar in North West canal restoration circles feature in IWA’s list of new vice presidents. Among the five are Chris Coburn, famous for his “Cut to Caernarvon” epic voyage and Lichfield and Hatherton Canal restoration campaign; Martin Grundy, IWA’s North West Region president; and Tony Hirst OBE, a founder director of Ellesmere Port Boat Museum. John Fletcher has also been re-elected for a further year’s service on the Management Committee; Richard Blake continues as National Chairman for another term.
6) Water, water every where, but just too much! Superfluity of the fluid in November has affected many waterways in the North West. The Trent and Mersey has been closed at Little Leigh where an embankment has slipped close to an aqueduct. Inspection by the experts is awaited to identify the damage extent. The Weaver has over-flowed its banks in Northwich. Temporary measures have been put in place on the Leeds and Liverpool to avert threatened flooding of Skipton. The Springs Branch of the canal has been dammed off following erosion of a causeway.
7) Railtrack have been throwing their heavy weight around; upsetting the waterway fraternity in the process. West Coast Mainline improvements require major bridge building next to the Trent & Mersey Canal at Armitage. Railtrack PLC have slapped a four day closure order on the canal over the Easter Holiday period. Perhaps a convenient time for Railtrack, but unfortunately a busy period on the waterway! IWA has put pressure on Railtrack to look at opening time windows for the passage of boats within the closure period.
8) The days of cheap fuel for pleasure boaters on UK waterways are under threat. European Commissioner, Frits Bolkestein, has submitted proposals to even out excise duty on oil products throughout Europe. UK waterways would no longer enjoy duty-free fuel. IWA is trying to pour cheap oil on these troubled waters by making representations to the Government.
9) Success at Anderton! The Lift Appeal to the Public has reached its target £250,000. However, the parallel business appeal is dragging behind; so further contributions are still being sought. Restoration work continues apace; at British Waterways’ Northwich Works and at site. Archaeologists have finished surveying; the basin off the Trent and Mersey has been drained and de-silted; and the connecting joint to the aqueduct checked. The target completion date of September next year still holds; with a formal re-opening date planned for Spring of the following year.
10­) BW has brought in a positive move in the North West waterway scene. It has announced proposals for a new canal link in Liverpool. BW wants to investigate the possibility of linking the Leeds and Liverpool Canal directly to the Albert Dock. This would have obvious attractions in moving the western entry to the canal to a popular tourist area. The existing entry further downstream on the Mersey has an undeserved bad name; despite recent improvements by BW, it has failed to attract boaters. The new cut would measure 700 metres in length passing the Liver Building, the Maritime Museum and over the Mersey Tunnel en-route. Derelict areas of dockland would be regenerated.
11) Progress continues to look good on the Ribble Link. The Waterways Trust has taken over ownership of the land after concluding agreement with all involved parties. The Trust is now formally in charge of construction and operation and the Link’s future for the next 40 years now secure. Construction for real is scheduled to commence early next year.