Grantham Canal

[Dyad]

I received this via email and thought I'd share it in case anyone may be interested......................

 

 

 

 

"Battle for Mann’s Bridge

 

Thank you for your support for the Grantham Canal Team and you may be pleased to know we are still in with a fight!

 

Our case is due to be presented to the Planning Inspector at the Supplementary Inquiry into the A46 project which is taking place all this week at:

Cotgrave Welfare, Woodview, Cotgrave NG12 3LA. There is good car parking space and the location is opposite the Leisure Centre.

 

Date: Thursday 14th January Time: 10am

 

If you are able to, please come and support the Grantham Canal Team.

 

I apologise for the short notice but we were only advised today that the Inspector will listen to our case based, as he put it, on ‘Natural Justice’.

He cannot determine the outcome but he can make recommendations to the Minister of Transport.

 

Regards

 

Mike Stone

Chairman

Grantham Canal Society"

 

 

Kev

[Guest]

I received this via email and thought I'd share it in case anyone may be interested......................

 

 

 

 

"Battle for Mann’s Bridge

 

Thank you for your support for the Grantham Canal Team and you may be pleased to know we are still in with a fight!

 

Our case is due to be presented to the Planning Inspector at the Supplementary Inquiry into the A46 project which is taking place all this week at:

Cotgrave Welfare, Woodview, Cotgrave NG12 3LA. There is good car parking space and the location is opposite the Leisure Centre.

 

Date: Thursday 14th January Time: 10am

 

If you are able to, please come and support the Grantham Canal Team.

 

I apologise for the short notice but we were only advised today that the Inspector will listen to our case based, as he put it, on ‘Natural Justice’.

He cannot determine the outcome but he can make recommendations to the Minister of Transport.

 

Regards

 

Mike Stone

Chairman

Grantham Canal Society"

 

 

Kev

 

Can't be there Kev but good luck...

[Dyad]

Latest email if anyone wishes to participate:

 

 

Dear Grantham Canal Supporter

 

 

We have arranged a photo shoot at Joshua Mann’s Bridge [Number 16] for this Saturday, 23rd January 2010 at 9.30am.

 

There will be "3 men in a boat" being obstructed from going any further than Mann’s Bridge due to the existing lowered bridge/culvert. Unless the Highways Agency and The Under Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Moles MP and his boss, Lord Andrew Adonis, come to their senses, then this is where the navigation of the Grantham Canal will be firmly halted for ever.

 

We need as many GCS members, friends and supporters to be there to show the world our frustration. We hope to make this into a national press release early next week

 

BBC East Midlands Today are proposing to be there, as are the Nottingham Evening Post and The Grantham Journal.

 

Please show your support and turn up to the photo shoot.

 

John Brydon

Vice Chairman

Grantham Canal Society

 

 

I'll take pics and stick them on here after.

 

Regards

 

Kev

[Gordon Chesterman]

Your anxiety and campaign over this new bridge reminded me that bridge builders CAN plan ahead.

A railway bridge over our local River Ouse in Ely was demolished by a derailed freight train which took the bridge down and ended up in the river.

The whole bridge had to be replaced with a new steel structure. They built a bridge wide enough for a double track, even though the railway line is single, just in case they double the line in the future. If railways can plan ahead for future needs, surely road builders can?

Good luck with your campaign.

Gordon in Ely

[fender]

Your anxiety and campaign over this new bridge reminded me that bridge builders CAN plan ahead.

A railway bridge over our local River Ouse in Ely was demolished by a derailed freight train which took the bridge down and ended up in the river.

The whole bridge had to be replaced with a new steel structure. They built a bridge wide enough for a double track, even though the railway line is single, just in case they double the line in the future. If railways can plan ahead for future needs, surely road builders can?

Good luck with your campaign.

Gordon in Ely

 

The Queen Adelaide loop was originally double track, so its not exactly a case of 'planning ahead.'

[matty40s]

I am gobsmacked that the new A46 plans intend to do away with the Grantham. The road probably did need improvement after the Leicester race track ends, but deciding to not bother allowing a single canal headroom access in a £400m project is just stupid.

[Kristian]

What was David Suchet saying on "waterworld" years ago, about a new law being passed that stopped road builders and developers from hindering the

rebuilding of canals? What happened to that? and whats stopping that being used here??????????????????????????????????????????????

Kristian.

[stickleback]

And where IS David Suchet when he could add so much to the campaign? Indeed, Timothy West et al - high profile names would give real clout!

 

Stickleback

[Dyad]

And where IS David Suchet when he could add so much to the campaign? Indeed, Timothy West et al - high profile names would give real clout!

 

Stickleback

 

Or even Sooty's "right hand man" who did the Lock and Quays Coast to Coast

[Graham_Robinson]

Can Mike or John from GCS explain why the obstruction was not noted on the plans earlier? I was shocked to see pics of earth moving equipment hard @ work on this project on the GCS web site. The appeal letter to all GCS members and friends is dated Nov 2009. Why so late?????

[Donald Gilchrist]

Where is this bridge? I sometimes drive they Cotgrave Conection bus and now peaple there that may tern out ,but dont know where this bridge is.

[Graham_Robinson]

Where is this bridge? I sometimes drive they Cotgrave Conection bus and now peaple there that may tern out ,but dont know where this bridge is.

 

[Donald Gilchrist]

Take it thats the old pit road out of Cotgrave,past the Ind est on the 22 bus route ?

[Graham_Robinson]

Take it thats the old pit road out of Cotgrave,past the Ind est on the 22 bus route ?

 

Stragglethorpe Lane.

 

Just spoken to Mike Stone GCS

As I suspected GCS have been caught out which I can partially understand they are volunteers not professional planners but BW who own the waterway, for them to be caught out in the same way is unforgiveable. Lets just hope the appeal doesn't fall on deaf ears. I've done a lot of work on the Grantham and would have done a heap more if not stopped by British Waterways East Midlands area personnel but that's another story and way

I would hate to see it all come to nought. Once again good luck with your appeal.

Edited January 22, 2010 by Graham_Robinson

[magpie patrick]

Stragglethorpe Lane.

 

Just spoken to Mike Stone GCS

As I suspected GCS have been caught out which I can partially understand they are volunteers not professional planners but BW who own the waterway, for them to be caught out in the same way is unforgiveable. Lets just hope the appeal doesn't fall on deaf ears. I've done a lot of work on the Grantham and would have done a heap more if not stopped by British Waterways East Midlands area personnel but that's another story and way

I would hate to see it all come to nought. Once again good luck with your appeal.

 

chartered town planner, public inquiry experience, well versed in the nuances, available to you at expenses plus what you can afford which may be nothing (i can here Odana, and my boss, cringing)

 

PM me, but I may be too late

[Hairy-Neil]

 

Really confusing as the map is upside down....

[Graham_Robinson]

Really confusing as the map is upside down....

 

Jeez some people are hard to please

[Dyad]

Really confusing as the map is upside down....

 

 

THIS PAGE has a map the other way around.

 

 

Well there was a good number of peeps today and 3 guys standing in a row boat but my camera didn't want to plat ball so no photos sorry.

 

Kev

[stickleback]

Just received a letter from the Highways Agency in response to my letter to Lord Adonis. Basically, it was saying that the Highways Agency are convinced that the road improvements do not jeopardise the eventual restoration of the Grantham Canal and that it would be too costly at this stage to alter their plans, buy extra land etc. They then reiterated their conviction that it wouldn't damage the canal's prospects.

 

Doesn't sound hopeful to me!

 

 

Stickleback

[Graham_Robinson]

Just received a letter from the Highways Agency in response to my letter to Lord Adonis. Basically, it was saying that the Highways Agency are convinced that the road improvements do not jeopardise the eventual restoration of the Grantham Canal and that it would be too costly at this stage to alter their plans, buy extra land etc. They then reiterated their conviction that it wouldn't damage the canal's prospects.

 

Doesn't sound hopeful to me!

 

 

Stickleback

 

It sounds anything but hopeful to me too, they've left it far too late by accident or otherwise.

I wonder how the site meeting went on Saturday?

[capnthommo]

Just received a letter from the Highways Agency in response to my letter to Lord Adonis. Basically, it was saying that the Highways Agency are convinced that the road improvements do not jeopardise the eventual restoration of the Grantham Canal and that it would be too costly at this stage to alter their plans, buy extra land etc. They then reiterated their conviction that it wouldn't damage the canal's prospects.

 

Doesn't sound hopeful to me!

 

 

Stickleback

simple isn't it? can boats get under the bridge or not. if not then any restoration is impractical, particular from the point of view of boating. it's not a matter of 'in my view'. I think they need to look again - very hard.

cheers

depressedly

nigel