Memorandum submitted by Alan T Smith MBE
1. The revival of our inland waterways back
into use, particularly for leisure purposes was to a great extent
due to the pressure brought on British Waterways to improve the
potential for use from the 1960's onwards. This was in no small
way due to the local populace being encouraged to join and support
waterway Trusts & Societies who predominantly promoted their
local waterway.
2. The transformation from those days of
dereliction and decay to today's viable usages is quite remarkable
and has universal support amongst our communities.
3. The investment made through these organisations
not only encourages them to greater effort to ensure that the
improvements are retained but is the best return on relatively
small amounts of finance. The waterways are blessed with a magnitude
of enthusiastic volunteers, very knowledgable, and willing to
participate at all levels.
4. The resent decision by British Waterways
to withdraw from the Cotswold Canals scheme has removed much of
the confidence that our volunteer organisation had in co-operating
with British Waterways if they can change their support so quickly.
5. The need to finance the repair of the
Mon. & Brec. Canal should be the subject of completely different
sources as its main function is that of a water drainage channel.
6. Our canals now provide leisure use for
so many activity outlets, mainly by towpath use; here in the centre
of the Midlands we are short of recreational waterspace, having
no major river channels. The emergence of our canals as environmentally
friendly, clean waterways with easy access and at no cost has
ensured the large increase in use by walkers, cyclists, anglers
and at the same time improved the safety aspect by greater use.
7. Of all the users of our waterways by
far the largest financial contributor of those users are the owners
of boats. This has been inherited from the original structure
of the enabling acts where tolls were the means of obtaining income.
This is totally out of date now, with the greatest use of our
canals being land drainage. The correct income to British Waterways
from this single source would resolve their financial difficulties
and enable them to cover the costs of maintenance.
8. The use by boats along our canals assist
in keeping the silt in suspense, thus allowing the silt to migrate
along the channel towards the inevitable river outlet. This action
does reduce the amount of dredging required on a well-used waterway
once the correct bank protection is in place.
9. British Waterways have achieved an amazing
transformation of our canals and thereby improved the quality
of our life within their contact area. They should be encouraged
to extend their environmental improvements through restoration
for recreation, not curtailed, if we are to usefully occupy our
leisure time.
10. Funding from the 90% of their users
through the Exchequer would resolve the financial situation.
Alan T Smith MBE
March 2008
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