Memorandum submitted by Mike Handford
I have been a strong supporter of the Cotswold
Canals Regeneration scheme since the late 1960s when we formed
the Stroudwater Canal Society. In subsequent decades I wrote three
books on the canals. I remain a shareholder in the canal company
and have served as director for over twenty years.
From the inside it has been clear that, given
their obvious inability to get their act together and forward
plan, BW have not been appropriate leaders for the project for
some time. So from that perspective I say "good riddance".
From the outside the damage done to BW's reputation
in pulling out so shambolically of the country's premier restoration
scheme may be incalculable. The waterways have always been unique
in that the public see themselves as owners and indeed supporters.
BW may have lost that large constituency of public support and
indeed deserved to do so by their action.
There were alternatives such as seeking special
funding for the Brecon and Abergavenny Canal or slowing down other
less premier schemes. I can only presume a complete lack of political
vision has informed the BW board members who cannot have thought
through the consequences of their actions.
As BW are no longer competent guardians of our
national waterways heritage the time is now ripe to establish
a National Waterways Conservancy on the lines originally advocated
by Robert Aickman.
Mike Handford, Senior
Lecturer
Centre for International Transport Management
London Metropolitan University
March 2008
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