Welcome

IF a theme had to be chosen for this issue of Towpath Talk, it would be ‘change’.

Firstly, we have British Waterways and the monumental effort they are putting in to transform the Bow Back Rivers with their work on the new Prescott Lock – transforming the area forever in preparation for the 2012 Olympics, while juggling a meagre budget to maintain the rest of the waterways in their control.

Meanwhile, one of their partners in this project, the Environment Agency, reveal how their latest Funding Strategy (to be issued in May) will help them address their current maintenance bill shortfall and put them on a steady footing for the future.

And with the news that they are also to ‘sell off’ a proportion of their lock keepers’ houses on the Thames; this also shows how the EA is adapting working practices that have stood static for decades, to make the most of their assets.

The National Waterways Museum Gloucester Docks is also scheduled to reopen its doors this month following an extensive revamp.

Last but not least, in this issue we are pleased to include another four-page special; this time from the Save Our Waterways organisation that intends to extend the campaign to maintain and restore our waterways to a much wider audience.

And while we’re on the subject of change, it’s time for the Crick Boat Show again – a change in the weather for the show (glorious sunshine all weekend) would be a good thing too.

Tony Hoyland