‘Comeback’ for working barges as deal over wharf gets all-clear

A BARGE operator says the future looks bright for his 200-year-old family business after a U-turn by a charity should allow him to offload sand in Leeds.

John Branford, 75, from Goole, said in January he feared he could be driven out of business after the Canal & River Trust blocked a plan to carry aggregates from Hull to Knostrop Wharf in Leeds.

The trust claimed there were issues with the wharf, including traffic management and safety.

However it has now relented and Mr Branford, who has teamed up with Andy Collins, of AC Marine Aggregates, hopes to have one of his vessels, Farndale H, out on the Aire and Calder Navigation with its first load in mid-April.

Each barge trip takes 17 lorries off the heavily congested roads of Leeds.

Mr Branford said: “I’m really grateful to for highlighting this. We really appreciate the help and that of Leeds City Council.

“In the 70s, the river was black with barges. There were hundreds and hundreds. Everyone has forgotten about the canals but I think they are the thing of the future.”

At least five generations of Branfords have worked on the waterways. Mr Branford now operates three dry-cargo barges, the latest two revamped with a Government grant of £350,000.

He said other possibilities were already opening up, including carrying freight to Pollington in East Yorkshire.

He now hopes his son, a captain, will be able to join him in his free time. He said: “It’s all go now. The trust has got to do some dredging and clean the wharf out.

“They are on with that and I have to get my boat ready. I think the future could be bright now.”

Mr Collins added: “I’m pleased they decided to support us on this project, which is good for the environment in every way.

“We are probably looking at 50,000 tonnes in the first year. It’s the sort of project everybody needs to be looking at to cut CO2 emissions and keep traffic off the roads. The technology for electric HGVs is not there yet.

“At least until that’s up and running

Barge operator John Branford, speaking yesterday. these sorts of projects are needed.”

Maik Brown, business development manager (Northern) for the Commercial Boat Operators Association, paid tribute to the “doggedness and perseverance” of Mr Branford and Mr Collins, along with association chairman David Lowe, who was a big advocate of the plans.

Branford’s barges were built for a contract for Esso in 1968 to carry bulk oil products to Leeds and things have come full circle just over 50 years on

Mr Brown said: “It has been a long haul. I can’t stress this too highly but John Branford and Andy Collins have really put a marker in the ground and saved the barge industry in the North.

“With HS2, Andy Collins can source other aggregates, stone and granite, and the potential is to carry a lot more cargo into Leeds when Stourton is developed in the next few years.”

Sean McGinley, regional director of Canal & River Trust, added: “Negotiations between the parties have been very positive and we are close to a final agreement.

“It is subject to everyone agreeing to the terms which have arisen from the risk report but we are hopeful AC Marine Aggregates will soon have everything in place to move freight out of Knostrop Wharf.”

Everyone has forgotten the canals but I think they are the future.