Select Committee Report

IWA Press Release

Issue date: 3 July 2008

IWA Welcomes Select Committee Report on British Waterways

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA), the national charity which campaigns for the restoration, preservation and use of the inland waterways, has broadly welcomed the House of Commons, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee’s follow up report on British Waterways which was issued this week.

IWA was prompted to successfully lobby for the recall of the Select Committee following the sudden and unannounced withdrawal of British Waterways from their pivotal role in the Cotswold Canals Restoration Partnership earlier this year.

The Select Committee paid specific recognition to IWA’s submission that British Waterways and The Department for Food and Rural Affairs should clarify the role for British Waterways with regard to its responsibilities for restoration and expansion of the system, specifically in the light of the withdrawal from the Cotswolds project.

IWA welcomes the Select Committee’s findings that Canal restoration schemes “can be of great value to the areas where the canals are restored, producing knock-on benefits such as more jobs and visitor income”. IWA also takes particular note of the Committee’s suggestion that the risks have to be spread more widely among the public sector who benefit from the wider economic and amenity benefits of restoration, instead of just BW, which often gets little immediate direct benefit from such work.

IWA looks forward to the promised report from The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the work and achievements of the interdepartmental working group set up by the Waterways Minister to look at cross departmental funding. IWA is keen to see ‘real progress’ on resolving the issue of finding sustainable means to properly fund the waterways which are to the benefit of everyone.

IWA notes the Committee’s recognition that British Waterways’ grant under the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review  settlement is not enough to prevent continued under spending on its major works programme.

IWA takes no pleasure in noting the Select Committee’s criticism of British Waterways’ in failing to consult earlier with its partners on the Cotswold Canals Partnership regarding their withdrawal; nor in the criticism that British Waterways spent up to £600,000 on a report by consultants on its future structure when it is by its own admission short of money. The fact that the Select Committee considered the £600,000 consultancy fees spent on reorganisation might have been better directed to the Cotswold Canals scheme seems to vindicate IWA’s stance in calling British Waterways to account over their behaviour.

Speaking on behalf of IWA, John Fletcher, national chairman said.

‘I welcome the report, which continues to demonstrate how important the  waterways are to whole of the nation. I welcome the recognition that more funding is required and that other public departments which benefit, ought to pay their fair share not just for the upkeep of the waterways but importantly for their restoration’.

‘IWA remain positively committed to restoring the nation’s waterways as well as maintaining and cherishing what we currently have. We look forward to seeing these comments and recommendations translated into hard cash support for the waterways’. 

ENDS

For more information please contact Jo Gilbertson  01923 711 114

Jo.Gilbertson@waterways.org.uk

Notes for Editors

The Inland Waterways Association

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) is a registered charity, founded in 1946, which advocates the conservation, use, maintenance, restoration and development of the inland waterways for public benefit.

IWA has about 18,000 members whose interests include restoration, towing path walking, industrial archaeology, boating, nature conservation and many other activities associated with the inland waterways.  Information provided by 450 corporate members with their own membership structures has revealed that they, in themselves, have a combined membership of at least 59,500 in support of IWA's voice.

IWA works closely with navigation authorities, other waterway bodies, a wide range of national and local authorities, voluntary, private and public sector organisations to raise funds, lobby for support and encourage public participation in the inland waterways.

More than 500 miles of canals and navigable rivers have been re-opened to public use since the Association was founded in 1946. Currently another 500 miles of derelict inland waterways are the subject of restoration plans.