Canal “loses out” in levelling up funding

[Alan de Enfield]

Canal “loses out” in levelling up funding | South Wales Argus

 

The MONMOUTHSHIRE, Brecon and Abergavenny Canals Trust has written to three Gwent local authorities to say it’s “bitterly disappointed” the councils did not apply for UK Government ‘Levelling Up’ funding to restore the canal.

In an open letter to Newport, Caerphilly and Torfaen councils, the trust chairman Revd. John Collier said: “Our Trust is pleased that [other] very worthwhile Welsh canal schemes have been financially supported.

The UK Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ fund will restore a four-mile stretch of the Montgomery Canal in Powys from the Wales-England border at Llanymynech to Arddleen and improve visitor facilities along the Llangollen Canal at Trevor Basin and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in Wrexham County.

 

Mr Collier added that: “This is, however, tinged with disappointment and sadness that our own local councils have not applied for this funding-stream to restore our equally deserving Mon and Brec Canal.

“We cannot help but compare and contrast this current situation to that which existed in 2007, when an enthusiastic partnership between Torfaen CBC, Newport City Council, Caerphilly CBC and British Waterways, supported by our Trust, submitted an application for £25 million Big Lottery funding to enable restoration of the canal.

 

“The application successfully reached the final UK shortlist but lost out to the Helix Canals Project in Falkirk, Scotland, now completed and a major tourist attraction.

“In the face of huge financial pressures, staffing reductions and changes and, more recently, the pandemic, a once-dynamic Canal Regeneration Partnership, operating since 1995 has, in the last few years, lost all momentum.

“We would urge Torfaen, Newport and Caerphilly Councils to re-energise the Partnership, so that funding opportunities such as the Levelling Up Fund can be explored and coordinated.”

Torfaen County Borough Council's leader Anthony Hunt said: "The Levelling Up fund is an opportunity for councils to apply for one-off regeneration schemes which could be fully implemented by 2025. Given the funding timescales, it was not felt that this was the best avenue to explore for the canal at this time. Our town centres have been hugely impacted during the pandemic and would benefit from additional investment.

 

"Our commitment to the canal is however stronger than ever. We have recently appointed a canal officer who will be starting work with partners in the next few months on identifying, designing and implementing a range of projects and programmes.  We are all working to the same aspiration and hope in future to submit joint bids."

A spokesman for Newport City Council said: "[We] recognise the recreational and biodiversity benefits of the canal system as well as its historic significance. 

"Since 2015, using grants from the active travel fund and other sources, the council has invested more than £2.2 million in improvements to access, bridges, and other works including managing water levels and leaks to protect fish and habitat.

"We value this partnership working and would welcome the opportunity to be involved with future funding applications led by the Trust. In the meantime, we will continue to look for ways to fund further investment."

Caerphilly County Borough Council have also been approached for comment. 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

The MP for the area isn't a Tory.

[blackrose]

Surely the canals are a example of levelling up by their very nature? All those locks...

 

I'll get me coat...

[Cheshire cat]

I thought they were only levelling up in England or Yorkshire to be more specific

 

[Machpoint005]

I have some shocking news for you. They're not even doing it in Yorkshire. 

[MtB]

Levelling up would involve getting rid of all the locks, yes? 

[Cheshire cat]

15 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

I have some shocking news for you. They're not even doing it in Yorkshire. 

Patience, it's a long term proposal with no timescales 😘

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Be careful what you wish for. The Glamorganshire Canal got levelled up, then covered with tarmac.

[Jon57]

43 minutes ago, MtB said:

Levelling up would involve getting rid of all the locks, yes? 

Wrong thread🤣

[Chris Lowe]

37 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Be careful what you wish for. The Glamorganshire Canal got levelled up, then covered with tarmac.

 

So did the Monkland Canal

 

[Machpoint005]

50 minutes ago, Cheshire cat said:

Patience, it's a long term proposal with no timescales 😘

 

If there are no timescales there is no meaningful promise. Hot air, nothing more, as I suggested.

 

And my name isn't Patience.

 

[Tonka]

You cannot lose out if you do not take part. They did not take part

[manxmike]

I wonder if there is anyone out there (apart from the politicians themselves) who actually believe a word they say?

Promise the earth and then find some spurious reason to explain why absolutely nothing is going to be done. e.g HS2 or levelling up.

 

[LadyG]

28 minutes ago, manxmike said:

I wonder if there is anyone out there (apart from the politicians themselves) who actually believe a word they say?

Promise the earth and then find some spurious reason to explain why absolutely nothing is going to be done. e.g HS2 or levelling up.

 

I always considered HS2 to be a flawed project, the existing infrastructure may need upgraded, but what on earth is the point of reducing journey times by a fraction for the minority who want to travel from central London to other cities, it will be much quicker and cheaper to use a car door to door, saving working time and reducing wasteful travel time. 

Use New Technology eg the phone if you want to talk to someone, and, Zoom in to room if you want to present your case to the masses. I just do not understand this reasoning for sticking to nineteenth century travel practices. Use the Tube to transport the masses, OK, but more working from home should reduce the overall mass. 

[Tonka]

1 hour ago, LadyG said:

I always considered HS2 to be a flawed project, the existing infrastructure may need upgraded, but what on earth is the point of reducing journey times by a fraction for the minority who want to travel from central London to other cities, it will be much quicker and cheaper to use a car door to door, saving working time and reducing wasteful travel time. 

Use New Technology eg the phone if you want to talk to someone, and, Zoom in to room if you want to present your case to the masses. I just do not understand this reasoning for sticking to nineteenth century travel practices. Use the Tube to transport the masses, OK, but more working from home should reduce the overall mass. 

I remember seeing a classroom being set up for British Airways at Heathrow where the engineering apprentices were going to be sat while the lecturer would be sat in a classroom in Perth, Scotland. All done virtually. Cost loads of money but was cheaper then flying the lecturer down to Heathrow apparently. At the same time we said that all our money should come from business travellers. 

[manxmike]

The rail network was originally set up to transport freight - now there's an idea, remove the enormous lorries that clog up the road network and transport freight by rail, then smaller more efficient lorries to take the goods to their final destination.

Less diesel pollution, less wear and tear on the roads, less huge lorries attempting to drive through small towns and villages. Cost effective and sensible - which almost certainly means it's a non-starter.

[matty40s]

9 minutes ago, manxmike said:

The rail network was originally set up to transport freight - now there's an idea, remove the enormous lorries that clog up the road network and transport freight by rail, then smaller more efficient lorries to take the goods to their final destination.

Less diesel pollution, less wear and tear on the roads, less huge lorries attempting to drive through small towns and villages. Cost effective and sensible - which almost certainly means it's a non-starter.

DIRFT and the new 5million square ft SEGRO logistics park at Jnc 15 M1(open 2022) say otherwise ...although thousands of lorries are needed to service them.

Edited December 5, 2021 by matty40s

[David Mack]

2 hours ago, manxmike said:

The rail network was originally set up to transport freight

Not so.

True that the first, the Stockton and Darlington Railway, was built for freight traffic - coal from inland pits to wharves at Stockton for onward distribution by coastal craft. But soon afterwards came the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, which was always intended to carry passengers and freight. And the rest of the network followed suit.

[manxmike]

3 hours ago, David Mack said:

Not so.

True that the first, the Stockton and Darlington Railway, was built for freight traffic - coal from inland pits to wharves at Stockton for onward distribution by coastal craft. But soon afterwards came the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, which was always intended to carry passengers and freight. And the rest of the network followed suit.

Maybe so, but my point remains that financially and environmentally it would make sense to move freight by rail instead of road. 

[Graham Davis]

1 minute ago, manxmike said:

Maybe so, but my point remains that financially and environmentally it would make sense to move freight by rail instead of road. 

Whilst it is a great idea, the problem is that the railway has generally lost it's marshalling yards and many of the regional distribution centres are no longer rail connected, plus on some lines being able to timetable slower running freight in amongst faster passenger traffic is almost impossible. One of the reasons that HS2 is being built as the west coast main line is running at 99% capacity and there is no room for the freight trains.

[manxmike]

Sadly it's indicative of the neglect fostered by a succession of governments, both Labour and Conservative. I reckon the rot started with Dr Beeching, hired by a Conservative Transport Minister who was a road construction businessman, butchered the state-owned network. His infamous report, The Reshaping of British Railways, led to the closure of 5,500 miles of track, the sacking of 67,000 workers and the shutdown of 2,363 stations.

Boris would have been proud! I just wonder if re-instating the network would cost more than trying (and failing) to maintain the existing road system.

 

(info lifted from Wikipedia, with apologies)

Edited December 5, 2021 by manxmike

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, Graham Davis said:

Whilst it is a great idea, the problem is that the railway has generally lost it's marshalling yards and many of the regional distribution centres are no longer rail connected, plus on some lines being able to timetable slower running freight in amongst faster passenger traffic is almost impossible. One of the reasons that HS2 is being built as the west coast main line is running at 99% capacity and there is no room for the freight trains.

The frequency of the trains on that line always amazes me. One rattles by every few minutes with local and freight slipped in amongst the fast ones 

[Captain Pegg]

2 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

The frequency of the trains on that line always amazes me. One rattles by every few minutes with local and freight slipped in amongst the fast ones 

 

There's four tracks Brian, two in each direction. The freight trains aren't on the same track as the expresses, they share tracks with the stopping and semi-fast trains.

[ditchcrawler]

18 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

There's four tracks Brian, two in each direction. The freight trains aren't on the same track as the expresses, they share tracks with the stopping and semi-fast trains.

There still isnt much space, I thought it was 3 rails along the N Oxford

 

18 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

There's four tracks Brian, two in each direction. The freight trains aren't on the same track as the expresses, they share tracks with the stopping and semi-fast trains.

 

[Captain Pegg]

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

There still isnt much space, I thought it was 3 rails along the N Oxford

 

 

 

Agreed. All four tracks are very busy and trains operate at 100mph even on the so-called slow lines.

 

There is indeed a short section of 3 tracks between Brinklow and Attleborough (a couple of miles east of Nuneaton station). The two down direction (northbound) tracks combine just before Stretton boatyard.