Attracting boaters and visitors to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, which passes through the town centre, is seen as a crucial part of the plans drawn up . . . → Read More: Monthly clean-up for canal – News Article]]> Tameside Radio report that British Waterways and Tesco have launched regular clean-ups of the canal in Stalybridge as part of a drive to breathe new life into Stalybridge town centre.

Attracting boaters and visitors to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, which passes through the town centre, is seen as a crucial part of the plans drawn up by the newly formed Stalybridge Town Team.

But there have been fears that debris in the canal, particularly discarded trolleys, would continue to be a real deterrent for boaters and that the potential offered by the canal would be lost.

In the past three years more than 200 trolleys have been retrieved from the stretch of the canal taking British Waterways resources away from other projects. Even additional security measures implemented by supermarket chain Tesco have failed to eradicate the problem.

Working in partnership with Tesco, British Waterways have agreed to make regular visits to the stretch of the canal to keep it clear of trolleys and other debris, with the clean-up costs being met by Tesco.

And the move has been welcomed by Stalybridge and Hyde MP Jonathan Reynolds, who has been talking to British Waterways and Tesco about the issue.

Given its picturesque location next to the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, Stalybridge should be attractive to tourists and to shoppers, as well as being an ideal place to spend a day out, said Mr Reynolds.

But far from being an attraction, debris in the canal can make it an eyesore and discarded shopping trolleys can make it hazardous for boaters.

I have been talking to Tesco and British Waterways about this issue for a number of weeks and I am delighted that they are now taking such an active role to clear up the canal.

Taking action to ensure the water is clear of debris will help to make it a much more attractive destination for boaters, as well as those looking for a stroll along the towpath.

Supermarkets are clearly not responsible for the anti-social behaviour of those who think it is acceptable to dump litter and trolleys in this way. But the canal-side location of this particular store makes it a particular problem in Stalybridge, so I am pleased that British Waterways and Tesco are taking this pro-active approach.

David Baldacchino, Waterway Manager, Manchester & Pennine waterways said: Litter is a huge problem for the waterways, especially when people are using the canal as a dumping ground for litter and – at this particular location – shopping trolleys.

We have been working closely with Tesco to try and reach a solution to this on-going problem which is spoiling the environment and causing damage to boats. I am pleased that we have agreed to carry out regular clean-ups with the help of Tesco.

In the next few months the guardianship of the nation’s 2,000 miles of canals and rivers will be transferred from British Waterways to become the Canal & River Trust. The new Trust will be calling on the help and support of the local community in Stalybridge to get involved with their local waterway by volunteering and helping care for their canal.

Anna Wisnoiwski, manager of Tesco’s Stalybridge store, said: We work hard to ensure that our trolleys are collected and secured every night. We are always looking for new ways to prevent trolleys being stolen and we’re grateful to customers who make us aware of abandoned trolleys, as it enables us to collect them quickly. We are pleased to join British Waterways in this new initiative to help keep Stalybridge canal clean and safe for everyone to enjoy.

via Monthly clean-up for canal – News Article | 103.6FM Tameside Radio.

Robin Evans, chief executive of the Canal and River Trust, is close to launching it as an independent organisation after three years of preparation – and he’s sure it’s the right move.

“We’ve never felt that being part of government was the right place for the canals,” he says. “Government is . . . → Read More: Robin Evans: ‘I Think It Will Work For Us – And For Others’]]> Interview by Third Sector

Robin Evans, chief executive of the Canal and River Trust, is close to launching it as an independent organisation after three years of preparation – and he’s sure it’s the right move.

“We’ve never felt that being part of government was the right place for the canals,” he says. “Government is the best place for you if you’ve got a crisis, but not if you just want to keep something running from day to day.”

But he emphasises that it will mostly be business as usual after the spin-out of British Waterways in England and Wales. “More than 95 per cent of what we do will remain exactly the same,” he says. “We’re running exactly the same waterways and they’ve got exactly the same water in them.”

The big change, he says, is that the organisation will be more outward-focused: “Everyone we meet is a potential supporter who can donate time or money. Previously we had users. The people on the towpath contributed nothing except potholes.

“Before, when they had problems they came to us, and when we had problems we went to the government. We held out our hands and it gave us some tax money.”

It has taken a lot of work to get various stakeholders onside, he says. But the secure agreement with the government over future funding has helped persuade them: “For the boaters there was a lot of security in government. Now the waterways are their responsibility. It’s taken longer than I thought, but they’re beginning to see the positives.

“Employees here also needed persuading. Our people had an image of charity as folk who weren’t very rich going round with buckets. Charities to them were needy, they weren’t a good place to be. But when we talked about being a trust they changed their minds. I hadn’t appreciated that they saw things that way.”

Nor was the government easy to convince. “Every time you meet someone new they suck their teeth and go ‘hmm’ and tell you that something can’t be done,” he says. “We were told by HM Revenue & Customs it would cost £80m to transfer out. We’ve now got a letter saying it’s a tax-exempt transaction.”

He now hopes that other organisations will follow in the trust’s wake. “I would advise them to consider this process,” he says. “It worked for Historic Royal Palaces. I think it will work for us. And it will work for others too.”

via Analysis: the Canal and River Trust casts off from the moorings of state.

Brecon Basin, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal

After three years of planning, British Waterways is to leave government control and become a charity. David Ainsworth reports on progress and interviews its chief executive, Robin Evans

Early in 2009, British Waterways, the quango responsible for maintaining the country’s canals, . . . → Read More: Analysis: the Canal and River Trust casts off from the moorings of state]]> By David Ainsworth, Third Sector, 15 May 2012

Brecon Basin, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal

After three years of planning, British Waterways is to leave government control and become a charity. David Ainsworth reports on progress and interviews its chief executive, Robin Evans

Early in 2009, British Waterways, the quango responsible for maintaining the country’s canals, floated a plan: it wanted to spin out of government and become a charity.

Those plans are likely to come to fruition next month, when the trust expects to receive final approval from the government and will be launched as a new, independent entity – the 13th largest in the voluntary sector, with an income of more than £200m a year.

A charitable vehicle has already been set up to receive the quango’s assets in England and Wales, and a new name has been agreed – the Canal and River Trust. Scottish waterways will remain under the control of the Scottish government.

The trust has faced a number of challenges, not least negotiating how much government funding it would retain. British Waterways in England received grants worth £47.4m last year, which will fall to £39m in its first year of independence.

But despite this cut – in line with those made to other government-backed organisations – the long-term settlement is relatively generous. It is worth £800m over 15 years, including a guaranteed index-linked grant and an extra £10m a year from 2015/16 onwards. The trust will also acquire £460m of property.

All this means that, unlike many other charities, it has a guaranteed package of basic funding. It also knows that any new income streams will not flow back to the Treasury. Tony Hales, chair of the trust, says the settlement will provide “a bedrock on which to build the future prosperity of our precious waterways”.

The trust has also thrashed out a deal over pensions. British Waterways’ generous government scheme is likely to be left open to existing members of staff, but will not apply to anyone joining the new organisation. But the scheme already has a substantial deficit. In its accounts, this is listed at £60m, but pensions experts say that if the trust were to close, the final shortfall would be closer to £200m.

The government has contributed a one-off payment intended to help with the existing shortfall, and issued a guarantee that it will meet the charity’s pension debts if it were to fold for any reason.

Despite the settlement, however, the new charity will not have the cash it needs to maintain about 2,200 miles of canals to the standard it would like. It says it can keep the waterways open and repaired with its core funding streams, but there is much more that it wants to achieve.

Its ambition is to raise an extra £20m a year. To that end it has appointed Ruth Ruderham, previously at Christian Aid, as head of fundraising and sunk time and effort into its fundraising strategy. It is similarly keen to boost volunteering to a level comparable to the National Trust, to which 60,000 people give time each year. Margaret Bennett, a director of Think Consulting Solutions, which worked with British Waterways to develop its fundraising and volunteering strategies, says: “Our research showed very early on that there was an appetite among people such as dog walkers, cyclists and boaters to give time and money to support their local canals.

“A lot of people think the canals are theirs,” she says. “The trust has a good strategy and a team focused on engaging with people who already use the canals. I think it is extremely well placed.”

The CRT has the potential to make fundraising more difficult for wildlife trusts, nature reserves and the National Trust. But Fiona Reynolds, the outgoing director of the trust, told Third Sector recently that she was delighted that there was “a viable proposition to protect the future of the canals and waterways”.

Ken Burnett, a fundraising consultant and author who worked briefly on the development of the CRT, says it will be very interesting to have a new organisation come into the sector. “To be honest, it might be good if it treads on a few toes,” he says. “I think there will be some resistance, and some people won’t welcome it, but I think the sector should embrace it.”

Another key issue for the new organisation has been how to consult a diverse set of stakeholders. Its answer has been to supplement its board of trustees with a council that includes cyclists, walkers, boaters, anglers, CRT employees and businesses based by the canals. Some of these groups have elected their representatives; in other cases they have been appointed. About 150 people will be part of the governance structure.

Mike Hudson, a consultant who worked with the charity to develop the structure, says he is sure it will work well. “I think this has the potential to show the way for other spin-outs from government,” he says.

Ivor Caplan, who has lived on the waterways for 15 years and was recently elected to the council as a representative of private boaters, says there is a lot of support for the organisation among the constituencies the council represents. “It’s the best opportunity for the waterways,” he says. “It wasn’t looking viable in government. Some people are still sceptical, and there’s a lot of uncertainty. But it gives all of us who use and enjoy the waterways a real chance to have a say in how they’re run.”

via Analysis: the Canal and River Trust casts off from the moorings of state.

  Dear boater,

How does the drought affect you now? At present there are no drought-related restrictions to boating on the Thames. Recent rainfall has increased flows in the River Thames, though this is likely to be relatively short-lived unless there . . . → Read More: Non-tidal Thames – Drought Update]]>

boating on the non-tidal Thames - drought update

Dear boater, How does the drought affect you now? At present there are no drought-related restrictions to boating on the Thames. Recent rainfall has increased flows in the River Thames, though this is likely to be relatively short-lived unless there is further rain. Thames Water’s hosepipe ban means that you may not use a hosepipe to wash a leisure boat. You may only use our water points to fill up your boat’s water tanks; not to wash your boat. Please continue to use water wisely. The south east is still in drought. One month’s significant rainfall after an extended dry period is not enough to greatly alter the situation. Groundwater levels are still well below average, and are not likely to recover until winter. Last month, the Thames catchment received 255 per cent of the rainfall that we would normally expect in April. But March was exceptionally dry, and the Thames catchment only received 38 per cent of its long-term average rainfall for the month. River flows were more typical of late summer. Potential impacts for boating Falling water levels trigger actions for us to maintain river levels for boating. In order, these are: a ban on the use of hoses/sprinklers at lock sites – implemented April 2012 voluntary delays to lock passage – not yet implemented elevation of water levels above target – not yet implemented ‘sealing’ of weir sluices (depending on water levels) – not yet implemented (although works to minimise leakage in weirs and locks are under way) If the drought worsens and flows on the Thames decline, further potential actions are: out-of-hours power switched off at powered locks lock passage restricted to once every half hour locks closed out of hours The water levels may vary along the river and the measures will be implemented accordingly. Each lock keeper will be able to tell you the situation at their lock. Out of hours, please refer to the lock notice board. For more information For updates on the drought position on the Thames, please visit our website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/thamesdrought. If you would like to receive e-mail updates about the drought or other river information please e-mail us at riverthames@environment-agency.gov.uk and include ‘Register for updates’ in the title of your message. For updates on river conditions please call our free Navigation Information Line on 0845 988 1188 (when prompted press 1, followed by 011131) or visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk/riverthamesconditions Andrew Graham Environment Agency South East Waterways drought lead

]]> http://waterwaywatch.org/non-tidal-thames-drought-update/feed/ 0 http://waterwaywatch.org/non-tidal-thames-drought-update/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/waterwaywatch/zrEn/~3/N1JD36FGun0/ http://waterwaywatch.org/regeneration-of-marsworth-is-given-approval/#comments Sun, 06 May 2012 10:30:22 +0000 Will Chapman http://waterwaywatch.org/?p=2214 Published on Saturday 5 May 2012 08:00, Bucks Herald

APPROVAL has been given for a waterside residential development at Marsworth.

The application by British Waterways was for the building of 12 new dwellings and the conversion of the former carpenter’s workshop to provide a total of 13 new dwellings with new and upgraded boater’s facilities, . . . → Read More: Regeneration of Marsworth is given approval]]> Published on Saturday 5 May 2012 08:00, Bucks Herald

APPROVAL has been given for a waterside residential development at Marsworth.

The application by British Waterways was for the building of 12 new dwellings and the conversion of the former carpenter’s workshop to provide a total of 13 new dwellings with new and upgraded boater’s facilities, a retained and refurbished crane, minor access improvements, parking and landscaping.

Work is not expected to start on the site until next spring, although this date could be brought forward.

Once work begins it is thought it will take between nine months and a year to be completed.

Head of property development south for British Waterways, James Lazarus, said: “We are delighted with the scheme.

“We think it is something that will work for everybody.”

The proposals aim to regenerate the site and create a “high quality and attractive residential location, with an emphasis on historical canal related uses”.

A previous application was submitted for the site by H20 Urban LLP in October 2009, but withdrawn in January 2010 to allow for wider consultation.

via Regeneration of canal site is given approval – Local News – Bucks Herald.

I haven’t seen any such announcement and the last I heard was that the announcement was pending final Parliamentary procedures; however, it seems at . . . → Read More: Canal & River Trust to be launched on June 28th?]]> According to Chris Barnett writing in Waterways Forward on April 27, 2012 British Waterways will cease to exist on June 28th 2012 to be replaced by the new charity the Canal and River Trust,

I haven’t seen any such announcement and the last I heard was that the announcement was pending final Parliamentary procedures; however, it seems at least a good guess so I thought it was worth repeating…..even though the following link to the article promises more than it gives….

via Canal & River Trust on the way | Waterways Forward.

The team on the boat at BW's Caen Hill yard ready to begin the refurbishment: ©Bob Naylor

Waterway volunteers will be recognised in the Waterways Renaissance Awards for the first time this year — and a group on the Kennet & Avon Canal have reached the finals of the award.

The Devizes-based Avon . . . → Read More: Kennet & Avon Canal Volunteering Renaissance]]>  

The team on the boat at BW's Caen Hill yard ready to begin the refurbishment: ©Bob Naylor

Waterway volunteers will be recognised in the Waterways Renaissance Awards for the first time this year — and a group on the Kennet & Avon Canal have reached the finals of the award.

The Devizes-based Avon Vale Group completely restored a British Waterways workboat that had sunk on the Bath Flight on the K&A Canal — and they now volunteer for BW clearing offside vegetation on the canal.

The group was formed after a group of canal enthusiasts  realised that financial constraints had led BW to have to concentrate on essential maintenance work at the expense of jobs like off-side vegetation management which meant that the navigation width was rapidly becoming narrower.

They believed that they could do something about it — if they only they had a boat— and in 2007 they heard about a sunken BW workboat on the Bath Flight.

They negotiated with BW to take it over and restore it to its original condition so that they could use it to work on the canal. They towed the boat from Bath to Devizes and took it out of the water and immediately set about removing the engine so that the engine that had been submerged for some time could be brought back into use.

After having the hull grit-blasted they repainted the boat in its original BWB colours, refitted the cabin and replaced the engine and they were ready to go.

British Waterways gave the team five years to complete their refurbishment — but they completed the work by 2010 (two years ahead of schedule) and they immediately began the work of clearing the offside bank on the Long Pound near Devizes to widen the channel.

Working one day a week they have made a marked difference on the 16-mile Long Pound and the core team has begun recruiting more teams so that the boat can be used more often — and they have also encouraged work to start on other stretches of the canal using other BW workboats.

As well as the bankside work they have also become a valuable resource for BW as a team of boat handlers. They move BW workboats to sites ready for maintenance to start — freeing up BW staff for essential maintenance work.

On a waterway where the culture of volunteering on work directly connected with the canal had been lost — this project is a significant step towards returning to the hey-day of volunteering on the K&A that existed in the 1960s and 1970s. And just like the early years of volunteering on the K&A local businesses have been encouraged to play their part.  The Avon Vale Group say they would not have been able to achieve so much without the support of local businesses like Boat Safety Examiner Mike Price, Victoria and Spencer Collins at The Boat Yard Hilperton, Devizes Marina, Protect Fire Equipment, Devizes Commercial Signs and  HMG Paints who have been generous with materials and services — and they have had regular coverage of their project in local papers and on local and national radio and television.

This project has been an inspiration for other groups along the canal who have drawn strength from its success of this project and gone on to develop their own projects.

Team member John Kirby said: “Our project shows how a small number of people with a vision, determination and passion for what they are doing can make a project happen — and make a difference for the benefit of all users of the canal.”

The Avon Vale has also been used as the removal ‘van’ for a remote canal-side house in the Bath Valley that had no suitable road access.

The group have had a two-stage assessment on the way to the final,  first with Eileen McKeever, the Strategy and Engagement Manager at the Environment Agency and then with Ian George who is the Maritime Technical Director at Hyder Consulting Ltd who are partners with BW in the Renaissance Awards.

The final results will be announced at a ceremony at the ICC in Birmingham on 23rd May.

The Waterways Renaissance Awards is run by The Waterways Trust and recognises exceptional projects that have turned inland waterways into desirable places for living, learning and leisure.

via KAcanalTIMES: K&A Canal volunteering renaissance.

We’ll be letting you know how the glorious British weather affects reservoir levels and how this may impact on our canals and rivers.Water is a valuable resource and it’s important that we make the most of what we . . . → Read More: British Waterways’ Reservoir Watch]]> Waterscape is now the best place to find out the latest information about British Waterways’ reservoir holdings.

We’ll be letting you know how the glorious British weather affects reservoir levels and how this may impact on our canals and rivers.Water is a valuable resource and it’s important that we make the most of what we have. By monitoring the levels in our reservoirs we can plan for the future and minimise disruption to the canals in times of drought.

British Waterways monitors the water levels in every one of its reservoirs on a weekly basis.

Each reservoir has gauge boards, which are read by waterway operatives and then entered into our central database. The water level is converted into a reservoir holding, which can tell us how full the reservoir is in percentage terms.

Adam Comerford, group hydrology manager at British Waterways explains: “By monitoring on the same day every week, throughout the year, we can calculate the change from one week to the next, and this helps us to understand how much water has gone into or out of a reservoir. We use the reservoir holding information to manage our water resources, deciding which reservoirs to use to feed the canal at different periods in the boating season and whether to use alternative resources, such as pumps, to supplement the reservoir water.

“Our records show reservoir levels for every week going back over many years, so we can compare the current situation against historical years, including drought periods.”

Reservoir Watch in April

March was an exceptionally mild month and the driest for the UK since 1953. Most of the country reported less than half the average rainfall, further intensifying the drought and extending its spatial extent.

According to the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, much of the drought-affected region recorded only 30-40% of the March average rainfall. The winter recovery in groundwater levels has been extremely weak, river flows in March were more typical of late summer.

Total river flow for the October-March period was the 2nd lowest after 1975/6 in a record starting in 1961.

Reservoir Holdings

In terms of British Waterways reservoir stocks, the Oxford & Grand Union, GU South and GU North groups are of particular concern, being well below their long term average for this time of year. Although there was some modest refill over the past month due to the occasional rainfall assisted by the implementation of Drought Schemes to pump additional water into some reservoirs, the overall water resource position for these parts of the network is of concern.

Restrictions to lock use

As stated in the March issue of Reservoir Watch, British Waterways took the unusual step of implementing overnight restrictions mostly from Monday 19th March to reduce lockage demand and ensure careful use of water at a number of sites on the Oxford and Grand Union Canals.

Water levels on the Kennet & Avon Canal are also being closely monitored and similar restrictions could be implemented there subject to water availability.  National and regional maps detailing these restrictions are available for download.

British Waterways will be reviewing the effect these restrictions have had in reducing demand for water over the Easter period along with projections of the future water resource position for the next few months of the main boating season, and will reissue an updated map in due course, highlighting any changes to the restrictions if they are considered necessary.

It is recommended that customers sign up to receive email alerts about restrictions

Licence evasion across British Waterways’ canals and rivers in England and Wales, according to the latest licence check for 2012 is at a record low with 96.6% of boats holding up-to-date licenses.

The latest national boat check conducted in March 2012 showed that every region has improved its evasion rate . . . → Read More: British Waterways Reduces Licence Evasion]]> Issue date: 24th April 2012

Licence evasion across British Waterways’ canals and rivers in England and Wales, according to the latest licence check for 2012 is at a record low with 96.6% of boats holding up-to-date licenses.

The latest national boat check conducted in March 2012 showed that every region has improved its evasion rate by at least 1% with the breakdown seeing the Midlands and South reducing their rates by 2.4% and 2.3% respectively.

As recently as 2007, the national evasion rate was over 10% and now since March 2010 it has been consistently below 5%.

The next national boat check which is due to take place in March 2013 is likely to be the last time the boat check will take place over a two-week period.  Instead the standard monthly data collecting and enforcement process are now comprehensive in their coverage to identify licence evaders.

via British Waterways Reduces Licence Evasion.

The Canal & River Trust will be responsible for the third . . . → Read More: Canal & River Trust appoints heritage committee]]> The Canal & River Trust, the charity that will become the guardian of British Waterways’ 2,000 miles of canals and rivers in England and Wales in 2012, has confirmed appointments to a new committee that will help to protect the heritage of the waterways.

The Canal & River Trust will be responsible for the third largest collection of listed buildings in the UK and the committee of nine people, chaired by former Chairman of English Heritage, Sir Neil Cossons, will provide valuable advice and support on heritage and conservation issues.

The other committee members are: Alan Baxter, Consulting Engineer to St Paul’s Cathedral and member of the London Advisory Committee of English Heritage; Peter Brown, a member of the Council of the Canal & River Trust, having been nominated by the Railway & Canal Historical Society; Nigel Crowe, Head of Heritage for the Canal & River Trust; Edward Holland a Senior Projects Advisor at The Prince’s Regeneration Trust; Stephen Hughes, Director of Projects, Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historical Monuments of Wales; Jane Kennedy narrowboat owner and architect to the cathedrals of Ely, Newcastle and Christ Church, Oxford; Laurence Newman, Chairman of the Museums Partnership of the Canal and River Trust and a member of the Trust’s Council and John Yates, architect, historic boat specialist and Chairman of the Boat Museum Trust and Vice-chairman of the Boat Museum Society.

The committee will play an important role in helping to inform the heritage policies and procedures of the Trust and shaping innovative and forward-thinking approaches to managing the heritage of the waterways. The committee members will also bring with them a wide range of individual specialisms and expertise that can be called upon when required.

Robin Evans, chief executive of the Canal & River Trust, said; “It’s fantastic that such high calibre people have agreed to sit on the Heritage Advisory Committee and is a further demonstration of the broad support that exists for the nation’s waterways and the work of the Canal & River Trust.

“Waterways are part of the fabric of our nation and remain amongst the finest examples of industrial heritage in the country. A fundamental aspect of the Trust’s work will be to protect and conserve this heritage for future generations to enjoy and the impressive wealth of skills and experience that the committee members bring with them will prove invaluable in helping to achieve that.

“We’re very grateful to be working with such knowledgeable and well-respected people who will play an influential role in protecting our waterways and demonstrating their importance to the nation”.

The committee will meet for the first time at the end of May and at least twice yearly from then.

Membership of the committee, which is unpaid, will last for a term of three years with an option to continue beyond that should members wish to do so. The committee will replace the former BWAF Heritage subgroup.