If built, Thames Water’s South East Strategic Reservoir, proposed to be built near Abingdon, will have a big impact on the restoration of the Wilts & Berks Canal as it will be right on top of the historic route.
Much of the Trust’s restoration work in recent years has been towards the western end of the Canal, partly due to the uncertainty created by the proposed reservoir. However, plans for the reservoir now seem to be progressing, and Thames Water’s design team has issued an Interim Master Plan 2024, which provides for a diversion corridor for the Canal. However, in addition, and of critical importance, is a link from the reservoir site to the River Thames. Potentially, this would allow boats from the Thames to navigate under the A34, round the reservoir to a marina by the diverted East Hannay to Steventon road just north of the Great Western Railway.
Unfortunately, this possibility is hanging by a thread, as instead of an open channel, Thames Water’s engineers prefer an enlarged operational tunnel to take emergency flows. The tunnel would be slightly cheaper, but would offer nothing to the local community. On the other hand, an open channel would double as a canal and provide a through route for walkers and cyclists beside a picturesque waterway from the urban centres of Wantage and Grove all the way to Abingdon. An open channel would also provide a connecting route for wildlife, avoiding it getting squashed whilst crossing the busy dual carriage-way.
[The photo above shows Thames Waters’ consultation document]
Waterway supporters are urged to respond to the Thames Water’s consultation about the reservoir by supporting the open channel emergency option B, and rejecting the proposed tunnel option C. The Consultation closes on 28th August 2024.
To respond to the consultation:
- Visit https://thames-wrmp.co.uk/sesro .
- Scroll down to ‘Public Consultation’ section, and click ‘Complete Questionnaire’.
- Answer questions, as you like, or not.
- When you reach the question “We have considered several options for the Emergency Discharge and Option C is SESRO’s preferred option. Do you have any comments on these plans?” waterway supporters are encouraged to respond with words similar to the following:
‘I strongly disagree with the proposed option C which will provide no public benefit. Option B (open channel) should be used instead, incorporating the Wilts & Berks Canal. Option B will provide significant economic, wellbeing and environmental benefit. A reconstructed Wilts & Berks Canal and towpath will link the proposed reservoir to Abingdon as a sustainable transport route for walking, cycling and boating.
We particularly look forward to boating from the River Thames, under the A34 and round the base of the new reservoir, perhaps to a new marina by the East Hannay to Steventon Road’
The canal will expand the blue green infrastructure in Oxfordshire and extend the active travel network.
Option B is shown here 13491+-+TW+SESRO+Map+book_A3_FINAL+AW-LR.pdf (dn9cxogfaqr3n.cloudfront.net)
There is also a petition at https://www.change.org/p/urgent-save-historic-canal-link-to-the-thames-under-the-a34
[The photo, left, shows a map with the location of the proposed reservoir and corridor reserved for the canal around the north and west sides]
