Memorandum submitted by John Jackson
REGENERATION
Regeneration generally ignores navigation requirements,
all works appear to involve only visible parts of the canal, nothing
seems to be spent on improving navigation by dredging, or, indeed,
stopping contractors from depositing unwanted rubble and other
detritus in the canal.
Regeneration also involves the building of dwellings
or offices on wharves, without replacing facilities in the area.
Worcester is a prime example of this. The same also applies to
the centre of Birmingham. Icknield Port is the only wharf left
in Birmingham and this also appears to be under threat of development.
Restoration is something of a misnomer. Waterways
are rarely, if ever, restored to their original dimensions, in
particular the depth available for navigation. This seems to me
to be a huge missed opportunity, particularly in view of the renewed
interest in the use of canals for freight. It is unlikely that
anyone will invest in vessels to move goods if the infrastructure
is not even up to minimal standards.
It is essential that a useable depth is achieved
on the Cotswold Canal, rather than the bare minimum proposed.
There are many owners of deeper draughted boats who pay for a
licence to use the waterways and these should not be discriminated
against. Once again, the use of this canal for freight should
not be dismissed, also requiring a reasonable depth to be provided.
This is what the word "restoration" means.
John Jackson
March 2008
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