Barge operator finally wins fight to take freight to canal’s wharf

ONE OF the country’s oldest barge operators has won his longrunning battle to be allowed to take freight to a wharf in Leeds.

John Branford, 75, from Goole, has been trying since last autumn to get an agreement with the Canal & River Trust (CRT) to carry sand from Hull via the Aire and Calder Navigation to Knostrop Wharf.

The fifth generation barge operator and Hull-based AC Marine

Aggregates spent a six-figure sum in preparations, including £100,000 on a quayside crane.

In March the CRT said they were “close to a final agreement”, while its chief executive Richard Parry assured Goole MP Andrew Percy in a letter that it supported sending freight from the Humber to Leeds and hoped to make a decision “in the next few weeks”.

Last Thursday Mr Percy wrote again to Mr Parry to express his disappointment at the delay.

The MP said: “We are all keen to ensure that the canal is brought back to life for commercial benefit, to support jobs in Goole and also to support the environment, because moving goods by canal is much greener than road haulage.

“The reason Goole exists is because of this canal.

“It is the heritage and blood of the town and we want this canal to be successful.”

The Branford family was operating barges before the Navigation was built in 1823.

Mr Branford, who runs three ex-tanker dry cargo barges, said: “I am very grateful to Mr Percy for his help. Barbara Castle made the Aire and Calder a freight navigation in 1968, when there were easily 20 wharves. But for the last seven years, there hasn’t been a single place to offload on a 36mile stretch from Goole to Leeds.

“Knostrop is protected by law – you would think they would have welcomed us with open arms. We

John Branford, AC Marine Aggregates tick all the boxes. It is greener, cheaper and takes HGVs off the road.”

Business development manager Maik Brown, from the Commercial Boat Operators Association, said that it should prove a “win-win” for the CRT, encouraging businesses to put freight onto barges ahead of the development of the new wharf at Stourton, which is due to open in a couple of years.

A CRT spokesman said the trust had to negotiate for an existing tenant at Knostrop to reduce the space let under their lease to make room for AC Aggregates. He added: “This process was in train, but delayed due to complications around coronavirus – colleagues from the tenant company who needed to get to site in order to review the proposal and not being able to.

“We’re pleased to say that this has now been resolved, the site has been cleared ready for occupancy by AC Aggregates, and a draft lease sent over to them for review. All being well, the lease will be completed in the next few weeks and operations can get under way.”

Barbara Castle made Aire & Calder a freight navigation in 1968.