Save Our Waterways Campaign

[Bobphilips]

Just wondering where we all are with the Save Our Waterways Campaign. Seemed like there was a lot of noise a few months back but now it seems very quiet on that front? Has everyone given up and gone home?

[carlt]

Do they need saving? Maybe if they were managed as a national asset rather than a commercial enterprise we wouldn't be in the mess they tell us we're in.

[Rick-n-Jo]

It's all here, take a look

[KenK]

All the effort so far does not seem to have made any difference to DEFRA or the goverments attitude. Even the original reason for the grant cut, the EU fine, is no longer valid as the Treasury has given DEFRA £305 million to pay the expected fine.

This goverment only listens to us when they want re-electing, after that they do what they want. Democracy!

 

Ken

[Bobphilips]

It's all here, take a look

 

Cheers Rick-n-Jo for the link. I've had a brief look at the site and it seems pretty comprehensive.

 

One question that does spring out is when will the 'Government's Comprehensive Spending Review' occur?

This seems to be the crux point where important decisions and their impact upon the waterways will occur.

 

Another thing that I noticed is the argument being put forward to greatly increase the amount of commercial traffic on the waterways, particularly in the form of transportation alternatives to road and rail.

 

All the effort so far does not seem to have made any difference to DEFRA or the goverments attitude. Even the original reason for the grant cut, the EU fine, is no longer valid as the Treasury has given DEFRA £305 million to pay the expected fine.

This goverment only listens to us when they want re-electing, after that they do what they want. Democracy!

 

Ken

 

Hi Ken, Surely this is where campaigns like Save Our Waterways become important and need the support of the everyday man (and woman) to ensure they have an impact.

 

Do you think the cuts will have a noticeable affect on the waterways from a general users point of view?

[carlt]

Another thing that I noticed is the argument being put forward to greatly increase the amount of commercial traffic on the waterways, particularly in the form of transportation alternatives to road and rail.

Yes the railways are all switching back to steam, as well, and we're going to be shoving kids up chimneys again.

[Bobphilips]

Yes the railways are all switching back to steam, as well, and we're going to be shoving kids up chimneys again.

 

Now there is a thought... Asbo's for kids putting them to work for the greater good... I like it. Cheers carlt.

[Rick-n-Jo]

All the effort so far does not seem to have made any difference to DEFRA or the goverments attitude. Even the original reason for the grant cut, the EU fine, is no longer valid as the Treasury has given DEFRA £305 million to pay the expected fine.

This goverment only listens to us when they want re-electing, after that they do what they want. Democracy!

 

Ken

 

 

I had a short conversation at the weekend with someone very high up in TWT/IWA circles (not sure I should say who when quoting off the record remarks!). It looks like nothing much will happen now until the new Labour leader (and chancellor) are in position. Civil servants and ministers are just sitting on their hands waiting to see how it goes, or looking to their position under the new regime.

The argument is won, more than half of MPs are behind us, in normal times it would have all been resolved by now.

 

So for heavens sake Tony, just get on with it and GO!

 

Rick

[carlt]

Now there is a thought... Asbo's for kids putting them to work for the greater good... I like it. Cheers carlt.

That's quite alright bobphilips, you can call me carl. The point I was making was that there are more boats on the canals now than there ever were in the days of freight carrying. The 'golden age' of the canals is now and there is just no room for freight haulage. The only viable canals for mass haulage of cargo are the widebeam (as opposed to broad) waterways, and these are already well used, though perhaps not as much as they could be.

 

Unless of course they're trying to price the leisure boater off the waterways to make way for a huge expansion in haulage....

[KenK]

Do you think the cuts will have a noticeable affect on the waterways from a general users point of view?

 

I went to the last protest at Newbury and the impression I had was that the general public neither know or care about the cuts. The campaign gets lots of attention from the Waterways magazines and sometimes the local papers but I have seen little or nothing on national TV. If we put a few boats on low loaders and drove down the motorway at 3 mph AKA the lorry drivers protest that would get us noticed and probably locked up.

 

Ken

[carlt]

the general public neither know or care about the cuts.

 

I think the majority of the general public neither know or care about the cut.

I was in long eaton looking for the dry dock. I asked an old boy where it was and he said he'd never heard of it. I asked him to point me in the direction of the water and he said he'd lived in long eaton most of his life and there was no river, canal or pond there. I walked to the end of the road we were stood on and hey presto, there was the canal.

Edited March 27, 2007 by carlt

[Bobphilips]

I think the majority of the general public neither know or care about the cut.

I was in long eaton looking for the dry dock. I asked an old boy where it was and he said he'd never heard of it. I asked him to point me in the direction of the water and he said he'd lived in long eaton most of his life and there was no river, canal or pond there. I walked to the end of the road we were stood on and hey presto, there was the canal.

 

Crumbs.. obviously not a fisherman then. Both yourself and Ken have a valid point about the publics knowledge and perception of the seeming threat to our waterways. I wonder what measures, legal of course, can/could be taken to raise the publics awareness and 'help' them to care. As is stated above, the waterways are being used more and more. Hence, there is surely a need to provide for this greater use and expand/improve the waterways system to cope. With this in mind the powers at be need to be made aware of the situation and the argument for more resources to be made available to British Waterways instead of the current reduction.

[carlt]

Crumbs.. obviously not a fisherman then. Both yourself and Ken have a valid point about the publics knowledge and perception of the seeming threat to our waterways. I wonder what measures, legal of course, can/could be taken to raise the publics awareness and 'help' them to care. As is stated above, the waterways are being used more and more. Hence, there is surely a need to provide for this greater use and expand/improve the waterways system to cope. With this in mind the powers at be need to be made aware of the situation and the argument for more resources to be made available to British Waterways instead of the current reduction.

I'm not sure it needs to have 'mass appeal' to be adequately funded. What proportion of the public have ever visited the V&A? But it is adequately supported. The Tate modern? Certainly not me but I pay for it (and don't moan too much). There is something about the waterways (and even it's museums) that makes it unpopular with the powers that be. Personally I think the attitude dates back to when all the museums were crying out for support so that they could return to free admissions. At the same time BW were saying 'we can be self funding, we can operate as a business and don't need support'. WRONG!!

[KenK]

I think most of the general public see all boaters as fairly affluent. I doubt that most of them make any distinction between inland waterways boats and gin palaces costing a million plus. If you don't use the canal system you probably don't see why your taxes should go to support it. I suspect the goverment is well aware of the general publics attitude the protests may change their minds but don't hold your breath.

 

Ken

[Bobphilips]

I think most of the general public see all boaters as fairly affluent. I doubt that most of them make any distinction between inland waterways boats and gin palaces costing a million plus. If you don't use the canal system you probably don't see why your taxes should go to support it. I suspect the goverment is well aware of the general publics attitude the protests may change their minds but don't hold your breath.

 

Ken

 

Hi Ken,

 

Good point about public perception of boaters and the fact the general public at large do not use the canals. Maybe then it is time for the serious promotion and encouragement of the use of the canals. Not just from a boating perspective but to use the towpaths, sailing, fishing, canoeing, etc.

 

Perhaps local action groups could be formed by boaters and waterway users to help clean up sections of canalsides and hold events to encourage their use?

[carlt]

Hi Ken,

 

Good point about public perception of boaters and the fact the general public at large do not use the canals. Maybe then it is time for the serious promotion and encouragement of the use of the canals. Not just from a boating perspective but to use the towpaths, sailing, fishing, canoeing, etc.

 

Perhaps local action groups could be formed by boaters and waterway users to help clean up sections of canalsides and hold events to encourage their use?

Blimey! Do we want more people? Bring back the days when you could cruise all day without seeing another boat. I'd rather fight the overhanging branches, dodgy lockgates and nonexistent towpaths again, than see even more congestion on the cut.

[Bobphilips]

Blimey! Do we want more people? Bring back the days when you could cruise all day without seeing another boat. I'd rather fight the overhanging branches, dodgy lockgates and nonexistent towpaths again, than see even more congestion on the cut.

 

Maybe it's time to get a campaign going to expand and further develop the canal system.. would help with the idea of using it to transfer water from areas of the country that have excess to parts that are frequently caught short in dry periods?

[KenK]

Maybe it's time to get a campaign going to expand and further develop the canal system.. would help with the idea of using it to transfer water from areas of the country that have excess to parts that are frequently caught short in dry periods?

 

There does not seem to be any problem expanding the canal network. Lots of groups busy reclaiming long defunct canals and several schemes building canals where none existed. The Liverpool link and one has been proposed for Daventy. The problem seems to be who looks after the maintenance and how is that going to be funded. As far as I know only boaters and anglers pay directly, through their licences, the rest pay through the tax system. I can't see any other method working. BW do their bit promoting the canals via Waterscape and it is targeted at all users, but unless you have an interest already your not likely to use the website.

 

The problem with using the canals to move water is the cost of setting up a structure, who is going to pay, in the end Joe public. Of course the time when the water is needed is the time we all want to go boating. I had enough of that last summer when some delightful farmer was extracting the last drop of water from the canal via a huge pump, wouldn't have been so bad but it was raining at the time.

 

I was talking to a guy who works for W Berkshire, he told me the aquafiers are now still only 50% full after all the rain we have had. We need the same again to fill them. Evidently we only get approximately 8% of our water in the South from reservoirs so maybe the water companies should start building some big holes and let them fill up, after all you can go boating on them

 

Ken

[fuzzyduck]

I have to say.

 

It wasn't till I bought my house here, 3 years or so ago, that I realised that i was within a mile of a canal when I was growing up, and I've been a fanatical boater for years.

 

What's with that, I've been boating since i was a glint in the milkman's eye, and I didn't really recognise that the Grand Union Existed. what a monkey.

 

Those who are suggesting action groups, and campaigns to get people involved are bang on. then mount the save our waterways campaign.