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One of the objects for which the Association is established is:
For the public benefit
* to advocate the conservation use maintenance and development of the inland waterways of the British Isles the works relating thereto and any craft or buildings or structures now or previously associated therewith,
* to advocate and promote the restoration and the maintenance in good condition of such waterways and associated craft and buildings and structures
* and advocate and promote their fullest use for appropriate commercial and recreational purposes."
After more than 50 years campaigning by the IWA, the canals and navigable rivers of the United Kingdom are now widely recognised as an irreplaceable asset of unique value for their built heritage, amenity, recreation, wildlife and capability to provide freight transport with low environmental impact. To sustain these benefits and to achieve the above-stated Object the Inland Waterways Association will campaign for:
1 Security of "government" funding of inland waterways ("government" funding may be either central or local government)
• The inland waterways system is part of the United Kingdom's national heritage and should be conserved.
• There is no practical way of charging informal users who constitute the majority of users and user visits. (Note, urban and country parks receive government funding of about +50Omlyear)
• There is little scope for increasing income from currently charged users e.g. boaters and anglers.
• In some places the inland waterways system is already operating to full capacity because of limits of water resources, traffic capacity or environmental considerations.
• The business should not be dominated by considerations of commercial property income.
2 Security of use of inland waterways for all purposes, especially navigation, over a substantial period of time.
• This should apply to all parts of the current navigable system and to other inland waterways when restored.
• Requirements "1" and "2" are essential to give confidence to commercial and private interests to increase investment.
3 A body or bodies to manage the inland waterways whose aims are to conserve, maintain and develop the inland waterways for leisure and freight transport purposes.
'Conservation' includes buildings, structures and the landscape within each waterway's visual envelope; it also includes wildlife to the extent that this contributes to the landscape and does not restrict the use of a waterway for boating.
4 A management arrangement that:
• allows the inland waterways to be operated in the most efficient and flexible way,
• gives navigation functions the appropriate status in relation to other water management functions,
• gives Inland Waterways Association the best opportunity to influence the decisions made by the waterway managers.
This does not prejudge the organisational arrangements, which could be several waterway authorities with co-ordinating arrangements, possibly under the supervision of a regulator, or a single government-owned authority, or a trust. For any proposed organisation, IWA would wish to consider whether the organisation should be responsible for all the waterway functions and the nature of the technical and political benefits arising from multifunctional operation.
5 A national licence system for leisure boating and angling (with regional / time restricted options) organised nationally.
This should be available for purchase through a national network of outlets, which will reduce administration for navigation authorities and users, providing savings in cost. (Note Post Office Counters already make rod licences available for sale on an agency basis)
6 National guidance / co-ordination on appropriate standards.
• This would cover health and safety, boat standards, waterway maintenance and availability, consumer protection and conservation.
• It could be provided by legislation, government guidance, or a regulator.
• 'Maintenance and availability' standards would relate to the availability of inland waterways for navigation and the availability of locks and towing paths.
February 1999
