EXTRACT FROM AN ARTICLE IN THE CRAVEN HERALD,
24th November 2006

SOW campaigners who fear canals, including Leeds & Liverpool, could fall into disrepair will be protesting tomorrow (Saturday).

BW has already had to make significant job cuts and removed £5.5M from it's winter maintenance programme.

Roger Millin from SOW said "We are not saying it will stop the canals, but a reduction in the maintenance budget will affect most canals. If there was a major embankment collapse and BW got faced with a multi-million pound repair bill, under the present circumstances it would be unlikely to be able to find the funds. Canals and rivers were not just important to boaters, but to anglers, walkers, cyclists and people who ran businesses alongside the waterways. Skipton is a significant canal centre and it's very popular with boaters and visitors generally."

Skipton has already seen the effect of BW reduced funding. The body has offered a smaller financial contribution for the annual Waterways Festival, which it has supported for the past five years.

Nick Osborn said "He also fears a lack of funding for EA and BW will lead to increased licence fees for waterways users and operators. He said he did not want to see standards of maintenance slip. The little amount that we get at the moment at this end of the canal is likely to be reduced further. BW should concentrate on their core business of maintaining the canals rather than pursuing commercial interests such as pubs and properties."

Protesters will be around the canal and in the town centre all day tomorrow alerting people to the situation and advising how they can support the campaign, such as writing to the local MP.

[There was a note at the bottom giving a link to the SOW site.]

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