Black Country canals to transport more goods in new freight strategy

[oboat]

5 hours ago, Up-Side-Down said:

Response from Scottish Canals:

 

"We have made concrete blocks from segregated dredgings recovered from Laggan Spout on the Caledonian Canal. There is an aspiration to utilise dredgings from Ratho as well but I haven’t had the feedback from the university yet on the suitability of the material. We are also moving closer to producing a topsoil – not quite there yet but I remain hopeful!

 

"Plan is to install the blocks at Bowling to trial their durability in tidal waters. I’ve attached some pictures of the blocks which have been produced so far."

 

[Tim Lewis]

2 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

How about opening Dudley Port as a container terminal, a bit of tunnel widening may be necessary?

We, there was a container terminal these for twenty years!

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dudley_Freightliner_Terminal
 

 

[oboat]

5 hours ago, Up-Side-Down said:

Response from Scottish Canals:

 

"We have made concrete blocks from segregated dredgings recovered from Laggan Spout on the Caledonian Canal. There is an aspiration to utilise dredgings from Ratho as well but I haven’t had the feedback from the university yet on the suitability of the material. We are also moving closer to producing a topsoil – not quite there yet but I remain hopeful!

 

"Plan is to install the blocks at Bowling to trial their durability in tidal waters. I’ve attached some pictures of the blocks which have been produced so far."

 

[oboat]

14 minutes ago, oboat said:

 

Thats great, no idea where you intend to put them, however if they are to be used on the outside, on the Tideway I would suggest you may have more success if the aggregate was made up into Staybits or similar. 
I would be interested to know more on what is proposed. 
Bowling Basin is a tremendous development opportunity for the area, the river and the canal.

[fanshaft]

7 hours ago, magpie patrick said:

 

Consultants compliant with the road lobby are the biggest problem! I often only get to see the investigations after the event, and even though we can pick holes in the research by then it's a done deal between a developer who never wanted water transport and an authority who don't understand it. 

Yes we at CBOA find that all too often we are asked to advise why water transport wouldn't work and consultants are then miffed if we demonstrate that it can work in some cases.  Some years ago I did a lot of work on getting Trent aggregates to Keadby by barge for the wind farm project.  This would have involved passing through Keadby lock on the level (when it could be done) about one or two barges per tide.  The local council got wind of it (pardon pun) and objected to the 'continuous opening of the the bridge which would delay traffic' - the wind farm consultants had deliberately misled the council and omitted to state that it would only be twice every 24 hours and of course we weren't informed.  We could have corrected the misconception and if the council had still objected there was a Plan B which was to use the wharf above the lock and road haul to site the short distance, with no detriment to house owners as there aren't any  - instead of which lorries were routed through local villages. we have similar instances in London where barge and / or handling costs are inflated without checking with us or the potential operators.

2 hours ago, oboat said:

 

That's really interesting. I do wonder if the Scottish equivalent of DEFRA is more relaxed about using dredgings in this way.

 

 

[oboat]

Having seen the Non development/re linking of the old Graingemouth Docks (upper infilled end) in association with the Kelpies project and the relocation/new line of the canal extension I would not hold my breath.
Such a lost opportunity for urban regeneration.

Edited August 19, 2022 by oboat

[George and Dragon]

On 17/08/2022 at 18:03, fanshaft said:

That's interesting as we discussed this at the most recent CRT dredging meeting. We were told that material removed from a waterway to assist navigation is classed as waste by DEFRA and has to be treated as such. Anyone being given or buying the material would need the appropriate waste transfer permits. However it's being discussed with DEFRA whether material which is then processed can be exempted. I believe material can be spread on farmers' fields though some make a charge. Material dredged from the Trent and Weaver can be good quality sand hence the initiative. 

 

This sounds like sloppy thinking from DEFRA: the material is initially classified as waste (fair enough). The dredgings should then be analysed to determine what treatment, if any, is required to make them safe for use in different applications. If there are no contaminants the waste classification should reflect that, otherwise the classification should reflect the nature and amount of contamination.

[Heartland]

The site of Dudley Port Container depot is now occupied by the Coventry Very Light Rail Depot whose test track runs into the tunnel. The Metro track has been laid up the side to Castle Hill as part of the on going work on making the Wednesbury- Brierley Hill Metro extension

[oboat]

55 minutes ago, George and Dragon said:

 

This sounds like sloppy thinking from DEFRA: the material is initially classified as waste (fair enough). The dredgings should then be analysed to determine what treatment, if any, is required to make them safe for use in different applications. If there are no contaminants the waste classification should reflect that, otherwise the classification should reflect the nature and amount of contamination.

This makes no sense DPI have just created a total new nature reserve in the Thames from dredging.

I (and probably most of the population) am under the impression that recycling waste was one national if not international importance !!!!!!!
 I would also imagine some department within DEFRA is probably funding recycling posters at great cost to you & I.

[Tim Lewis]

3 hours ago, George and Dragon said:

 

This sounds like sloppy thinking from DEFRA: the material is initially classified as waste (fair enough). The dredgings should then be analysed to determine what treatment, if any, is required to make them safe for use in different applications. If there are no contaminants the waste classification should reflect that, otherwise the classification should reflect the nature and amount of contamination.

 

This is what happens to all waste professionally excavated

 

[ditchcrawler]

Shropshire Union canal, I suspect a farmer is about to put in more online moorings

 

[Heartland]

The latest issue of Waterways Autumn 2022 has an article for promoting Light Freight on the Thames. 

It is useful to see the prospect of further waterways trade, but why should the London area receive preferences in this way. 

 

Should other regions attention with similar studies. As noted before the Severn and Severn Estuary deserves more consideration, as does the Trent, Weaver and Mersey.

 

[Alan de Enfield]

24 minutes ago, Heartland said:

Should other regions attention with similar studies. As noted before the Severn and Severn Estuary deserves more consideration, as does the Trent, Weaver and Mersey.

 

 

British Waterways Freight development on the River Trent :

 

Stategy For Waterways Freight :

 

 

 

 

Trent_Freight_Sep10.pdf Strategy For Waterways Freight.pdf

[fanshaft]

5 hours ago, Heartland said:

The latest issue of Waterways Autumn 2022 has an article for promoting Light Freight on the Thames. 

It is useful to see the prospect of further waterways trade, but why should the London area receive preferences in this way. 

 

Should other regions attention with similar studies. As noted before the Severn and Severn Estuary deserves more consideration, as does the Trent, Weaver and Mersey.

 

I suspect the Thames is being promoted initially because of all the inland waterways it probably has the best prospects for success - the PLA is also very active in promoting freight.  As an exemplar it could then be copied on waterways serving other major conurbations.

[fanshaft]

4 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

British Waterways Freight development on the River Trent :

 

Stategy For Waterways Freight :

 

 

 

 

Trent_Freight_Sep10.pdf 1.53 MB · 1 download Strategy For Waterways Freight.pdf 87.31 kB · 0 downloads

This may be of interest:

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/1265.pdf

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

11 minutes ago, fanshaft said:

This may be of interest:

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/1265.pdf

 

 

 

It is, but again it appears to be another 20 year old document referencing figures and information from 2000 - 2003.

Whilst there have obviously been some local initiatives there is no record of any co-ordinated  plan to being freight back onto the rivers and canals

[fanshaft]

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

It is, but again it appears to be another 20 year old document referencing figures and information from 2000 - 2003.

Whilst there have obviously been some local initiatives there is no record of any co-ordinated  plan to being freight back onto the rivers and canals

There is no co-ordinated plan because there are too many players.  It really does depend on localised initiatives.

 

Did you read the Trust's Freight Advisory Group's report (2014)  which is the basis for current policy? 

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/6213.pdf