Waterways campaigners to quiz navigation authorities
THE Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign group will be holding sessions with major navigation authorities, starting with the Canal & River Trust on Wednesday, April 10.
These sessions will be chaired by FBW and live streamed to members, with a recording and written notes of the meeting to be made publicly available at a later date.
Members are invited to submit detailed written questions, which will be collated and submitted to each navigation authority two weeks in advance of its meeting.
FBW will then ask the questions in the meeting and the navigation authority will provide detailed answers, both in person in the meeting and also in writing.
FBW chairman Les Etheridge said: “By arranging these sessions we are enabling members to ask questions on any area including those where reservations are publicly expressed. These will be positive and constructive sessions which we hope will benefit both the navigation authority and Fund Britain’s Waterways.”
The campaign group was launched at the end of June 2023 in response to the inadequate funding and deteriorating state of Britain’s network of canals and navigable rivers. More than 110 organisations are campaigning together for national and local government to act now and protect the public benefit and natural capital of our waterways.
Activities to date have focused on raising awareness of the challenges facing our canals and rivers and the message that increased and sustainable funding is needed. Three well-reported campaign cruises were held last year in Birmingham, Gloucester and past the Palace of Westminster on the Thames.
There will be a weekend of action over the Early May Bank Holiday weekend (May 4-6). This will comprise a series of events across the country on waterways managed by different inland navigation authorities in addition to IWA’s annual Canalway Cavalcade at Little Venice in London.
It will culminate in a second campaign cruise past the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday, May 8, when Parliamentarians will be invited to view the event and express their support for the continued maintenance of the waterways.