Restoration feature As we once again use the reduction in WRG work to take a wider look at projects, these schemes have taken (and may still take) a long time to finish – whether it’s the OK, some of you will already be looking at sheer amount of work involved in volunteers the word ‘quick’ above with raised eyebrows carrying out a complex channel rebuilding and thinking “Martin’s really lost it this time!” project over two miles long (as on the WenAnd yes, I’ll admit that as far as most canal dover), long and difficult negotiations in the past over nature conservation issues (the restoration projects we work on are concerned, one word you wouldn’t use to dePocklington) or having to convince three scribe the rate of progress is ‘quick’. Not that different local authorities to support it (the Bradley Canal). I’m knocking the restoration societies for it: obviously there are understandable reasons And note also that when I say ‘smaller’ why canal restoration takes a long time these I don’t just mean a shorter length of waterdays. Quite apart from the fact that in practi- way. For example (a) the Lapal Canal and (b) cal terms we’re onto the ‘difficult’ schemes, the Lichfield Canal comprise no more than canals that have suffered the level of damsix miles of derelict waterway each, but include respectively (a) a two-mile tunnel age and obstruction that you’d expect from having been abandoned for the best part of that’s beyond repair so reopening clearly a century or more, there’s also the amount won’t be a straightforward job and (b) 30 behind-the-scenes stuff (permissions etc) derelict locks and enough obstructions that that needs to be done first these days, not around five diversions will be needed. That’s to mention the potential costs running into not to say they won’t happen: they’re both eight figures for some of the longer and making good progress, I wish them well and more difficult waterways - a tall order for any I will cover them in future issues. of the usual sources of funding. No, I mean ones where the remaining Indeed, in the last issue we ran an obstacles to reopening are of the sort of size article covering WRG’s parent body the Inthat means that they could be reopened land Waterways Association’s Waterways in relatively quickly and to the sort of budget Progress report and funding awards, whose that’s comparable to what we know has been aim is to address this issue. It does so by made available for canal projects recently. showing that even in the case of projects Something not too far beyond the same ballwhich are unlikely to be complete for decpark as (for example) the £4m grant that ades, there are lots of ‘quick wins’ in the Highways England paid to reinstate the meantime – ways that canal restorations can Cotswold Canal’ crossing of the A38 dual be providing benefits right from day one with carriageway, or the £9m Lottery grant aninitially small-scale affordable projects (such nounced last year for the same scheme (or as local regeneration schemes, towpath whatever - fingers crossed - comes our way trails, nature reserves, linear parks and local from any Covid-19 recovery funding grants) trip-boat operations) which can attract sup– especially if use of volunteers can help to port and at the same time bring the distant bring the costs down to that sort of managegoal of full reopening gradually closer. able size. But this time we’re taking a different This doesn’t attempt to be an exhausangle. Besides all these decades-long restotive list, or to lay down any standards for rations costing tens of millions (and more) to what might or might not qualify as ‘quick complete, there are a significant number of win’ schemes. I’m sure there are other exsmaller ones which could be achieved much amples that are equally valid that I’ve missed more quickly and for much less money. Note: - feel free to point them out to me, or even ‘could’. Again I’m not knocking them for not better write a piece for Navvies about them. having got their canals open yet! There are But here are a selection of what might many perfectly valid reasons why some of just be ‘quick win’ canal restoration projects...
‘Quick win’ restorations?
page 12
