Trust in waterways at Marlborough
11:00am Sunday 5th February 2012 in Latest News By Nigel Kerton
Environment Minister Richard Benyon visited the Kennet and Avon Canal on Monday to launch a new trust aimed at protecting and maintaining waterways.
The Canal and River Trust replaces British Waterways and has been nicknamed “the national trust” for waterways.
Mr Benyon is MP for Newbury and his constituency borders the Devizes constituency of MP Claire Perry between Froxfield and Hungerford.
He recently visited Marlborough, where he was shown the fate of the River Kennet, which has been dry for long stretches upstream of the town although, after rain, water is beginning to trickle along the river bed again.
Critics say the name of the new trust is a misnomer because the only rivers involved are those that have been canalised and rivers such as the Kennet, the Hampshire Avon which flows through Pewsey and the Bristol Avon in the west of Wiltshire will not come under its remit.
The minister officially launched the new canal and river charity while visiting Freeman’s Lock on the Wiltshire-Berkshire border to view the ongoing £140,000 refurbishment of the lock gates.
The trust will follow the lines of the National Trust and it intends “to harness the support of thousands of supporters and volunteers”.
This has already been in practice in the case of the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust, because much of the work which made the once-redundant waterway come to life again was carried out by teams of volunteers who were working under its auspices.
Speaking at the canalside on Monday, Mr Benyon said: “The Canal and River Trust will be a national trust for the waterways, maintaining and restoring 2,000 miles of heritage sites, wildlife habitats and open spaces so we can all enjoy them for generations to come.
“Bringing our waterways into the Big Society puts decision making into the hands of the thousands of people who cherish the waterways near their homes.
“Our £1bn investment will get this new charity off to the strongest start possible, and let local communities and volunteers shape the future of our world-famous waterways.”
The new body’s chairman of trustees Tony Hales said: ”We congratulate the minister on this settlement, which creates a bedrock on which to build the future prosperity of our precious waterways.
“In the 20th century the network was saved from destruction by committed waterway campaigners, volunteers and staff.
“In the last decade alone, British Waterways has made an enormous contribution to securing the network’s future.”
Mr Hales said the canals and waterways would be held in trust “as a national treasure and a haven for people and wildlife”.
Defra has committed what it is calling a “property endowment” of £460m and funding of £800m over the next 15 years towards the upkeep and preservation of the waterways network.
