New IWA Trent group under consideration

IWA trustees have agreed on the formation of a new support group in Nottinghamshire which will concentrate on improving and developing navigation and facilities on the River Trent Navigation.

The group will be inclusive of all existing IWA members with NG postcodes, i.e. the majority of Nottinghamshire Branch members, but will be open to all IWA members and all other interested parties.

Initially, the group will focus on supporting existing activities which aim to improve navigation and maintenance on the Trent, including Trentlink (organised by Nick Roberts) and the Trent Moorings group (organised by Robert Aspey).

Initially, the Nottinghamshire Trent Group will be very informal and concentrate on activity-based projects on the river. Ultimately, the group may choose to form as a fully constituted IWA branch but this is not presumed nor considered to be essential.

Interested members and other supporters are invited to get in touch with Nick Roberts or Robert Aspey via Facebook or David Pullen, IWA Region Chair.

Trentlink Facebook link: facebook.com/ groups/666937220961360

Trent Moorings Facebook link: facebook.com/ groups/267686390376240

Preston tram bridge to be replaced with funding from Levelling Up bid

After campaigning by local community pressure group Friends of Tram Bridge, Preston City Council has included the replacement of the old tram bridge in its Levelling Up funding bid in 2022. IWA member Nigel Hardacre has helped the group by joining the committee and organising and leading several heritage walks around the closed bridge and the route of what was once the Lancaster Canal’s horse-drawn tram road (plate-way), which ran from 1803 until its closure in 1862. It connected both ends of the Lancaster Canal and was only designed to be temporary until enough funds could be raised to build 5 miles of canal to connect both ends. The railway age quickly followed and the canal link was never built.

We will await the release of designs for the new bridge, having held a competition last year with designs proposed by schoolchildren in Preston and students at local colleges and universities.

Lichfield Branch Off-side vegetation clearance

IWA Lichfield Branch has been busy over the winter cutting back the offside vegetation in its area. Starting at Willington, the team worked its way along the Trent & Mersey Canal to Fradley Junction, and had a little time left over to do some spot trimming on the northern reaches of the Coventry Canal.

The off-side vegetation operation began five years ago when IWA Lichfield got together with its local CRT office with the idea of a joint venture. It begins each winter in October, and work stops at the end of February when the wildlife begins nesting.

CRT supplies the two workboats (a motor and a hopper/butty), all the equipment and the training, while IWA Lichfield volunteers amassed more than 1,600 hours over the winter.

Volunteer Co-ordinator Neil Barnett said: “It’s a great way to get out in the fresh air and get some exercise too. You work within your physical capabilities in that you do as much or as little as you feel comfortable with. The best aspect of it is the camaraderie and banter.”

The branch also has other volunteering opportunities throughout the year for both outdoor activities and for helping with the general running of the branch. For more information, contact neil. barnett@waterways.org.uk.