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In 1793, Acts of Parliament were passed to construct both the Barnsley and Dearne & Dove canals to transport coal from the nearby coalfields. After 1914, the canals declined due to competition from road and rail and were gradually abandoned.
In 1947 there were objections to the proposed abandonment of the Derby and Barnsley Canals. A number of IWA Members supported the opposition to the abandonment of the canal led by IWA Member Mr.E.V.Waddington of The Boat Yard, Swinton, Mexborough, Yorkshire.
In 1949 concerns were rasied about the Barnsley Canal.
Towards the end of 1953 the Barnsley Canal was abandoned
In March 1955 the Board of Survey reported and recommended the disposal of 771 miles of waterway including some canals like the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and the Barnsley Canal that had already been abandoned and closed to traffic. These "Group 3" waterways also included the Ashton, Peak Forest, Macclesfield, Bridgwater and Taunton, Chesterfield, Cromford, Dearne and Dove, Erewash, Forth & Clyde, Grand Western, Grantham, Kennet & Avon, Lancaster, Manchester, Bolton & Bury, Monmouthshire & Brecon, Nottingham, Oxford (southern section), Pocklington, Ripon, Llangollen, Montgomery, Stratford-upon-Avon (southern section), Swansea and Edinburgh & Glasgow Union canals as well as the River Witham.
In response IWA advocate a National Waterway Conservancy to look after all our waterways and point out that it is cheaper to restore and use waterways than to eliminate them.
Restoration began in 1984 with the formation of Barnsley Canal Group.
In 2004 the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) is to contribute £6,000 towards a restoration feasibility study that the consultants Atkins have been appointed to carry out on the Barnsley and Dearne & Dove Canals. IWA has given a grant from national funds of £5,000 to Barnsley, Dearne & Dove Canals Trust for the study on behalf of Barnsley Canals Consortium. IWA's West Riding Branch is also supporting the appeal with further donations totalling £1,500 - bringing IWA's total contribution to £6,500.
The Barnsley Canals Consortium is a grouping of local authorities, The Inland Waterways Association, the Royston and Carlton Community Partnership, the Barnsley Dearne & Dove Canals Trust and other interested bodies.
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