Navvies News Restoration conference

navvies News

A couple of outings for our London WRG regional group, a return to a ‘real’ restoration conference, and which WRG vans are ULEZ compliant?

London WRG weekend work parties

As we went to press our London WRG regional mobile working party group had booked two dates for weekend digs.

The first is on the Wey & Arun Canal on 5-6 March.

The second is advance notice of a presummer canal camps preparation weekend at Berwick Tunnel on the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals on 23-24 July. The work will involve removing ash tree stumps from behind the tunnel portal wall using Tirfor winches, and demolishing a damaged buttress wall which also formed part of one wall of the tunnel mouth hut. This is in preparation for the rebuilding of the walls during he camp on 21-28 August. Accommodation will be at Uffington Village Hall.

Contact Tim Lewis on 07802 518094 or nbfulbourne@btinternet.com or see the London WRG Facebook group for details.

Attention WRG van drivers...

We have already mentioned in a previous issue of Navvies that some or all of our vehicles are affected by the charges to drive in various zones in Britain - but there are frequent changes and new charges. We have now put the latest information in the folders which are kept in each vehicle, but the following is the latest situation as of 30 January 2022.

Clean Air Zones (CAZ) and Low Emission Zones (LEZ/ULEZ): There are now various emission control zones around the country and, depending on which van you are driving, this may affect whether you plan to avoid certain areas (or pay the appropriate charge to enter them). Below is a brief guide to which vans can go where. The emission zones which concern us are as follows: 1. London. This is the most complex. London has a ‘Low emission zone’ (LEZ, virtually everywhere inside the M25) and an ‘Ultra low emission zone’ (ULEZ, goes up to, but not including, the North and South circular roads.). The zones operate 24 hours a day every day except Christmas Day. None of the WRG vans are affected by the outer LEZ; however DD16BOB, WR14FLN, RX06KNP and D16EHP are all in scope for the ULEZ and therefore need to pay £12.50 per day if they drive within it, in addition to the congestion charge (which covers a different and much smaller area) if applicable. All WRG vehicles are enrolled for automatic payment for London so if you enter the ULEZ or congestion charge zone you do not need to do anything as it will be paid automatically (though obviously it would be better to avoid it if possible). Note that this automatic payment only covers the ULEZ and congestion charge zones, not other charges (e.g. Dartford crossing). 2. Bath. The Clean Air Zone operates 24 hours a day 365 days a year. DD16BOB, WR14FLN, RX06KNP and D16EHP are all Berwick Tunnel: Work here in July with London WRG

in scope for the Bath clean air zone charge and therefore need to pay £9 a day if they drive within it, see payment note below. 3. Birmingham. The Clean Air Zone operates 24 hours a day 365 days a year. DD16BOB, WR14FLN, RX06KNP and D16EHP are all in scope for the Birmingham clean air zone charge and therefore need to pay £8 a day if they drive within it, see payment note below. 4. Manchester. Although there is a clean air zone being launched in Manchester during 2022, all our vans have a temporary exemption. 5. Portsmouth. None of our vans are impacted by the clean air zone in Portsmouth. 6. Bristol, Newcastle and Sheffield. All have clean air zones being planned but at the time of writing (January 2022) there are insufficient details to add to this sheet.

You will see our two newest vans (D16SAD and R10RFB) are not subject to any of the various emission zone charges so for obvious reason when we have a van based in an area affected by emission charges we will try and make sure it is one of these two.

Other than London where payment is made automatically, other charges can be paid directly by IWA/WRG provided you let us know on the day you enter the zone. Contacts who can do this:

Paula Smith: 01494 783 453 Ext 614

Jenny Morris: 01494 783 453 Ext 611

George Eycott: 07771 775745

Restoration Conference

‘Overcoming obstacles and seizing opportunities’ is the theme of the annual Waterway Restoration Conference, organised jointly by WRG’s parent body the Inland Waterways Association and the Canal & River Trust. It returns to its usual format as an actual physical event on Saturday 26 March after two years of online ‘virtual conferences’.

It’s being hosted by the Cotswold Canals and takes place in the Subscription Rooms entertainments venue in Stroud. The keynote speakers are:

.Jim White (Chair of Cotswold Canals Trust) on Reconnecting Stroud to the National Canal Network (with a focus on the A38 Whitminster roundabout) . Chris Mitford-Slade (Canal Project Director, Stroud District Council) on Importance of Partnership: the power of community engagement and etting the political influence in place . Dr Ian Sesnan (Consultant and IWA Trustee) and John Dodwell (Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust) on Levelling Up Fund and Shared Prosperity Fund (with a case study from the Montgomery Canal) There will also be breakout sessions on diversifying your volunteer base and on methods of canal lining for volunteer projects. The conference will end in time for delegates to o on a self-guided tour of the Cotswold Canals projects.

See waterways.org.uk and follow the link to ‘events’ to book your place.

WRG Reunion?

As Jonathan Smith mentioned in his Acting Chairmant’s Comment on page 4, “whether or not a reunion weekend in November will be possible is very much not known at this stage”. And one thing that would help WRG to decide whether or not we hold one is what suitable sites might be available.

So if you are involved in a restoration society or trust, and you believe that you will have suitable work and accommodation for perhaps 100-plus volunteers for a weekend in (probably) early November (and that probably means most likely but not necessarily vegetation clearance work), then we would very much like to hear from you - so please get in touch with us via head office.

The Triathlon returns

Another event that’s back to its normal springtime slot after a gap is the Montgomery Canal Triathlon which is taking place on 7 May. It’s run by the Friends of the Montgomery Canal and it involves participants covering 27 miles of the canal by bike (Newtown to Belan), canoe (Belan via Welshpool to Pool Quay) and on foot (Pool Quay to Crickheath) ending close to the current restoration work site. It’s in support of the Restore the Montgomery Canal! appeal which is raising the final funds for the reconstruction of School House Bridge, which will clear the last serious blockage to be dealt with on the English length of the canal. See https://themontgomerycanal.org.uk/ friends/montgomery-canal-triathlon. page 35