The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) has challenged the Canal & River Trust’s draft Restoration Delivery Plan, arguing that restoration is being treated as a low priority. The organisation says several major projects have stalled and has raised concerns about new financial and administrative requirements for volunteer restoration groups.
IWA challenges Restoration Delivery Plan
THE IWA has challenged the Canal & River Trust’s new draft Restoration Delivery Plan (RDP), arguing that it treats restoration as a low priority rather than a core charitable objective.
Several major restoration projects – including the Grantham Canal, Wendover Arm, and Pocklington Canal – have stalled under CRT ownership. The RDP would see volunteer groups face new financial burdens and bureaucratic obstacles that seem contrary to the collaborative spirit that the trust purports to offer, and a different mindset to that with which British Waterways delivered spectacular reopenings 25 years ago.
Engagement with CRT leadership
As a critical friend to the CRT, the IWA is leading the charge to refocus attention on restoration, engaging directly with the trust’s senior management and its new CEO to ensure waterway restoration receives the leadership, support, and priority it deserves.
After consulting widely with restoration groups and other interested parties, the IWA has concluded that the plan is misguided because it addresses symptoms, not underlying issues. Restoration work has been halted on several restoration projects where the trust is a landowner, either owning most of the waterway, as in the case for the Grantham Canal, the Wendover Arm and Pocklington Canal, or where it is a minority landowner, as with the Cromford Canal.
Concerns over resources and procedures
“In fairness, in some cases, CRT says work has stopped because of health and safety arrangements or environmental issues, but it most cases, it claims that it doesn’t have the resources to review work plans or respond to restoration groups’ correspondence,” the IWA said. “However, waterway restoration is one of CRT’s principal objectives alongside other important objectives as maintaining the navigable system, heritage and natural environment and landscape – yet the RDP seems to position waterway restoration as a something it might consider when funds permit.
“We think this is an abandonment of one of CRT’s principal duties. The RDP requires restoration promoters to commission professional studies for planned works, and to pay CRT such studies and work proposals to be reviewed by additional staff or contractors. This has led to some outrage that CRT planned to charge £40 per hour to deal with correspondence and plans put forward by them.
Training requirements and project impacts
“Other complaints concern external training courses to be undertaken at considerable expense although this requirement has since been reduced to compulsory on-site training. The latest draft of CRT’s plan as part of a consultation met strong criticism from several restoration groups, particularly where works had been stopped, resulting in financial cost and volunteer disillusionment. A planned WRG Canal Camp on the Cromford Canal had to be cancelled, for example.
Historical restoration momentum
“Twenty-five years ago, with Lottery funding and regional development agency support, the then British Waterways Board management launched ambitious plans to revive and regenerate these waterways, leading to spectacular restoration reopenings – the Huddersfield Narrow, Rochdale, Droitwich, Forth & Clyde, and Union canals are fine examples. Momentum has now faltered in a more difficult economic climate.
Complexity of ongoing projects
“We are clear about the challenges. The Grantham Canal, for instance, is a complex and major restoration; on the other hand, the Pocklington Canal and the Wendover Arm, both wholly owned by CRT, are probably the two easiest waterway restoration schemes in the country, notwithstanding that the Wendover Arm has two difficult road crossings and some minor footbridges and pipes, yet these schemes have been
dragging on for more than 50 and 40 years, respectively. “We don’t wish merely to criticise; IWA wants to work constructively to resolve challenges and to provide support. Over the years, IWA and the restoration sector have provided a broad range of professional services and know-how to bring about successful restorations. Work is also underway to ensure that IWA raises its support for waterway restoration and will do so as a priority this year.
Ongoing dialogue with CRT
“We are pleased to report that CRT is taking IWA’s views seriously. We are now engaged in direct meetings with senior management. The latest was in December, and we have ensured that Campbell Robb, the CRT’s new CEO, is fully aware of our concerns. We will continue to work constructively with CRT to achieve the best outcome for the waterways, including restoration.”
