United Campaign Against Waterway Funding Cuts
Following the news that British Waterways is likely to
suffer a Government funding shortfall of up to £60m over the next five
years, ten national groups representing tens of thousands of waterway visitors
and users are gearing up to campaign against the current thinking of the
Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Speaking at BW's annual meeting earlier this month, Chief
Executive, Robin Evans told over 100 waterway group representatives that
"the cuts are clearly a threat to our strategic objectives" and "they will
make life very much more difficult for us". The overwhelming reaction from
his audience was one of anger and disappointment that the Government should
claim the waterways network as a contemporary success yet deprive navigation
authorities such as British Waterways and the Environment Agency of sufficient
funding to continue the renaissance of the historic waterways network.
Since the meeting, a wide range of waterways' interest
groups have come together to plan activities and events that they intend will
make Defra realise the benefits that arise from a vibrant, active and
attractive waterways network, and they are confident other organisations will
support them. Representing boaters, anglers, cyclists, canoeists, rowers, horse
riders, runners, walkers, environmentalists and local communities across the
country, the newly formed alliance is aiming to bring the serious threat to the
future of the waterways network to the widest possible audience across the UK.
Along with lobbying the hundreds of MPs who have a waterway
within their constituency, the groups plan to arrange a number of public events
that will encourage all fans of the waterways to join in the campaign for
adequate public funding of the UK's historic network of canals and rivers. With
forthcoming Government spending rounds about to begin, the Alliance believe
that 'people power' will help greatly in showing that waterways are held dear
by millions of people right across the country.
A campaign spokesman speaking on behalf of the groups
involved, says: "
We are all deeply concerned that the tremendous progress
made in caring for, opening up and putting to active use the historic waterway
network of the UK over the last few years is not only about to come to an end
but could actually be reversed. The benefits of pleasant, well maintained and
accessible waterways are wide ranging and improve the lives of millions of
local people who live close by them or who use them in the course of their
leisure time activities.Why should they be deprived because of Defra's
incompetence?
"We will not rest until the fight is won. Authorities
such as British Waterways and the Environment Agency should not be punished
because of mismanagement by Defra, nor should the millions of people who love
Britain's waterways. The Government will realise very soon that there are
millions of votes attached to those who care about and make use of waterways,
and they will lose these if common sense does not return to Government
thinking."
ENDS
For media enquiries, please contact: Waterway
Images: Tel 07808 068 189 Photographs available from Waterway Images:
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Notes to editors:
The waterways interest groups taking part in this collective
alliance are (in alphabetical order):
The Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs (AWCC) is
the UK's voice for over 100 boating clubs countrywide representing the
interests of 6,000 inland waterways boat owners, and up to 20,000 family
members. It campaigns vigorously in all aspects of the inland waterways and has
been active in expressing the views of our individual members in all matters
affecting boaters and cruising.
The British Canoe Union (BCU) is the UK governing
body recognised by the Sports Council for the sport and recreation of canoeing.
It represents some 57,000 canoeists both as individual members and through over
500 affiliated clubs and 145 approved centres. The vast majority do so under a
watchful eye of one of the 13,000 BCU Qualified coaches or as part of an
affiliated organisation. For more information visit: www.bcu.org.uk.
The British Marine Federation (BMF) is the national
trade association for the UK leisure marine industry. It has 1,500 member
companies, who are predominantly small businesses. These companies provide the
boats, equipment, facilities and services that enable a great many people to
enjoy boating and watersports on our inland waterways and coast.
DBA The Barge Association brings together people
interested in barges and barging. DBA represents their interests maintaining
contact with Navigation Authorities, Organisations and Associations. The 1600
members, owning both historic ex-commercial barges and new builds, benefit from
a broad base of experience and knowledge both in UK and across Europe.
The Historic Narrow Boat Owners Club (HNBOC) aims
include: To encourage the preservation, restoration and use of working boats
and ex-working narrow boats and to promote the maintenance of the waterways
system to a standard suitable to facilitate the navigation of such boats
throughout the year.
The Horseboating Society (HBS) There is a long
history of horsedrawn transport on inland waterways spanning several centuries.
Horses towing from river banks supplemented sail power on rivers, but the canal
network built with high quality towing paths evolved with horsepower as the
prime mover. Horses were involved with cargo trade until 1960s, but today a
horsedrawn boat is associated with recreational passenger trade or educational
heritage work interpreting the canal system as it was intended to be used when
built. The Society is open to membership by all and preserves and promotes
horseboating by short or long distance journeys encouraging the continuation of
the required skills by crew and horses. Currently the HBS is on a 3 year
programme, funded by The Heritage Lottery. BW and EA are very supportive of the
Society's efforts.
The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) is a
registered charity, founded in 1946, which advocates the conservation, use,
maintenance, restoration and development of the inland waterways for public
benefit. IWA has over 17,500 members whose interests include boating, towing
path walking, industrial archaeology, nature conservation and many other
activities associated with the inland waterways. Information provided by 188
corporate members with their own membership structures has revealed that they,
in themselves, have a combined membership of at least 59,500 in support of
IWA's voice. IWA works closely with navigation authorities, other waterway
bodies, a wide range of national and local authorities, voluntary, private and
public sector organisations to raise funds, lobby for support and encourage
public participation. The Association also supplies voluntary labour through
its subsidiary Waterway Recovery Group. More than 500 miles of canals and
navigable rivers have been re-opened to public use since the Association was
founded. Currently another 500 miles of derelict inland waterways are now the
subject of restoration plans. See www.waterways.org.uk
The National Association of Boat Owners (NABO) The
association is seen as the consumer group representing the full range of
individual craft licence and registration holders of the main inland navigation
authorities. However its activities are aimed to work with the authorities to
benefit all boaters where possible.
The Residential Boat Owners' Association (RBOA) was
formed in 1963. It is the only organisation which exclusively represents
liveaboard boaters on the canals, rivers and coastal estuaries in England and
Wales. RBOA encourages a high standard of residential boat ownership and works
with Navigation Authorities and Local Authorities to safeguard existing
residential moorings and to increase the number of well planned and well
managed mooring sites. Through their lifestyle members of RBOA have a
commitment to all aspects of the inland waterways and a reduction in funding
from Defra might put their homes and way of life at risk.
The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) is Britain's
national body for all forms of boating, It has 103,000 personal members, 1,500
affiliated clubs and classes, and 2,250 RYA-accredited Training Centres
worldwide. RYA training is internationally renowned and used by the Royal Navy,
RNLI, Coastguard, MoD, Police and Fire Service, as well as tens of thousands of
recreational boaters. In competition, sailing was Britain's most successful
sport at the last two Olympics and Britain is currently the World's No 1
sailing nation.
Save our Waterways is a voluntary action group,
dedicated to taking the campaign against the cuts made by DEFRA to communities
along our canals and rivers. SOW embraces all waterways users (anglers,
boaters, canoeists, cyclists, runners, walkers, etc.) and those who live and
work beside the waterways. Contact
campaign@saveourwaterways.org.uk
or visit www.saveourwaterways.org.uk for further
information.
The government sponsored navigation authorities in England
and Wales receive their grant-in-aid from the Department for Environment Food
and Rural Affairs.
Owing to apparent calamitous mismanagement within the
Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs, it has been unable to meet
its obligations. This was first realised during March 2006, when the first cut
to British Waterways' budget was made. Since then, the Department's financial
position has worsened. The department must pay a large fine to the European
Union for its failure to make prompt payments to farmers via the Rural Payments
Agency. The Department has also incurred substantial overspends in correcting
the systems that makes payments to farmers and on some other projects. No
further funding is available from Treasury so the Department has decided to cut
further the budgets of its responsibilities other than those related to
payments to farmers.
British Waterways has now made public that it has been told
that its grant-in-aid for the financial year April 2006 to March 2007 has been
cut by a further 7.5% (£4.5 million) in addition to the 5% (approximately
£3.1 million) cut that was made in March 2006 and that there is the
possibility of a yet further cut of 2.5% (£1.5 million) to be applied
this autumn. In total, this would mean a loss of over £9 million to BW in
the year, with 15% of its grant-in-aid lost. |
