Fund Britain's Waterways - Supporters
Funding Britain’s Waterways is one of the most important investments our nation can make. They are the arteries which link our country together in a magnificent fusion of industry, potential and pleasure. There is no other national asset so perfectly designed to enable citizens to enjoy Britain’s beautiful countryside and be inspired by past generations to help address today’s social and environmental challenges. For me, most importantly they provide access for millions of people to take in the clean air of the country, set in landscapes that still seduce the imagination with dreams of living within nature and being an active part of it.
The navigable waterways network is an unparalleled national heritage asset, dating from Georgian times onwards. It is not just for the boating community but the public at large: it is an interconnected leisure and wellbeing resource whose benefits are felt across society and across the country from dense urban to remote rural areas. What we enjoy today was saved and restored by waterways campaigners and volunteers from the 1940s to the present day, led by the IWA. Several canals are being restored right now. So to start scaling down maintenance and repair of the whole network, as is threatened by severe cuts to the funding of the Canal & River Trust, is short-sighted and terribly damaging: closures may result. It is a kick in the face for all those who have devoted their efforts and funding to rescue and maintain this priceless national asset, and it is an attack on the environment shared by all of us. Defend, fund, use and celebrate our waterways!
Our canals and rivers and their associated towpaths and historic bridges, reservoirs, aqueducts and tunnels and other infrastructure all play an important part in the lives of millions of Britons. It is vital that we keep this 250 year old heritage alive and maintained for the benefit of future generations
Britain’s waterways are a unique national asset, attracting people from far and wide, and supporting business activity up and down the country. Together with its associated tourism, inland boating and watersports generated a total GVA of £7.6bn last year (2022/23). The inland marine sector, which includes marinas, hire boat companies, passenger boats and brokerage services, is largely made up of small family businesses that have extensive supply chains. Together they provide just over 41,000 jobs (direct, indirect and induced). All this will be at risk if Britain’s waterways are left to decline. This is why the new government must intervene, to safeguard this national asset and ensure navigation authorities have adequate resources to keep the navigation channels open and the infrastructure safely maintained.
The Worshipful Company of Water Conservators promotes a diverse and sustainable environment. Our rivers, streams and canals are a critical part of our environment. We depend on them for drinking water, recreation, navigation and wellbeing as well as part of flood prevention, supporting industry and agriculture. We must protect and enhance them for future generations
I would urge all Parliamentarians and aspiring Parliamentarians to get behind this campaign. Unless we safeguard the future of our waterways we will reach a tipping point where a huge range of public benefits from jobs to environment, leisure and tourism, health and wellbeing will be lost, and it will be extremely expensive to reinstate them.
Moving freight on the UK’s rivers and wide canals can be cost effective, and deliver significant environmental and socioeconomic benefits, but developing this form of transport faces huge challenges which are rooted in government intransigence, disinterest, and chronic under funding.
This campaign cruise illustrates the passion and concern people have for the future of our amazing network of inland waterways. It highlights the importance of safeguarding the network for future generations to enjoy whilst also helping bring economic prosperity to local communities such as those within my own constituency.
IWA is the only independent, national charity campaigning for Britain’s canals and rivers, and we recognise the serious threat posed to our waterways by inadequate funding. Government and other funders need to realise that the obvious and visible signs of deterioration, along with the hidden damage accruing from underinvestment, will only get worse. It is reprehensible to allow such valuable social and public assets to start to fail and it is a sad lack of understanding and appreciation of the millions of hours of volunteer effort that have enhanced the system. There is also the missed opportunity of investing in an asset which offers such immense benefits to society; economically, environmentally, educationally and in so many other ways.
Britain’s waterways are amongst our country’s most cherished assets, providing limitless opportunities to get afloat. Our rivers and canals can be an oasis of calm amongst a busy urban backdrop, allowing local people a chance for mindfulness and reconnection. From narrowboats, to paddleboards, to motorboats and canoes, maintaining access and prioritising the safeguarding of these spaces for future generations is a must.
The Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs represents some 82 boat clubs across the UK inland waterways network with approximately 4,300 boat-owning members.
Many of our members take advantage of the reciprocal moorings offered in other regions away from their home base. At our regular meetings we receive reports from all our regions that failures of the Inland waterways infrastructure in general are severely impacting the ability of our members to cruise the waterways as they would wish to do. These are generally due to the ageing of the system and the lack of adequate funding for the navigation authorities to properly maintain it. We must endeavour to gain sufficient funding to keep all our waterways alive for future generations.
The National Association of Boat Owners is an organisation that listens, represents and speaks out on behalf of boat owners. As such, we get to hear about the many and varied issues that are facing boaters, from rising licence fees to ever increasing unplanned stoppages that impact on cruising plans. There is an overall impression that many of the UK’s waterways are gradually deteriorating and that ‘something must be done’ before they reach a tipping point. That ‘something’ has many facets but adequate government funding has to be the foundation stone that the upkeep and future of our navigations must be built on.
