Political control of the council changed hands at the local elections back in May, but this was the first diary opportunity for senior councillors to view the work of the Shropshire Union Canal Society (SUCS) volunteers during one of their work party weekends.
Led by John Dodwell, chair of the Montgomery Canal Partnership, representatives from Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust, Friends of the Montgomery Canal and IWA Shrewsbury & North Wales Branch met the Shropshire Council team at Canal Central at Maesbury Marsh, an example of the sort of visitor development that restoration can encourage. After boarding the steam launch Ictus for a trip to showcase the recently-opened restored length from Gronwen Bridge to Crickheath Wharf, the current limit of navigation, a highlight, at least for some guests, was the chance to operate the council-owned Crofts Mill Lift Bridge to let Ictus pass through.
Disembarking at Crickheath, the party joined SUCS chair David Carter to walk the length from Crickheath Bridge, past Schoolhouse Bridge to Waen Wen basin, which will be the next possible turning point for boats as the restoration progresses towards the Welsh border at Llanymynech. An impressively large turnout of volunteers, including some corporate volunteers from Oswestry-based business Aico, were working at multiple locations along the approximately three-quarter mile stretch between Crickheath and Waen Wen, giving the visitors a first-hand view of the current restoration in its various phases – in water, lined and blocked, cleared and profiled, and still being cleared.
By car from Schoolhouse Bridge, the party paused first at Pant Bridge to view some of the obstacles awaiting the restoration volunteers, before moving on to Llanymynech Wharf, home of the trip boat George Watson Buck, named after the famous nineteenth century Shropshire Union engineer.
IWA branch chair Michael Haig said: “Shropshire Council and the old County Council before it have supported much work on the Montgomery Canal, particularly with the restoration from the national network at Frankton Junction where the locks were restored by WRG. We look forward to continuing our engagement with the new Shropshire team, just as we keep in touch with their counterparts in Powys who are overseeing the UK Government Levelling-Up projects for new bridges, dredging and the new nature reserves to safeguard the legally-protected flora and fauna along the canal.”
During a debrief over a light lunch at the border village’s Bradford Arms (still in Shropshire!), council leader Cllr Heather Kidd thanked the organisers and volunteers for the morning’s experience, which she said had really helped her and colleagues understand the scope of restoration efforts in Shropshire and how the canal could fit with the council’s connectivity, health and wellbeing, and economic priorities.
As well as Cllr Kidd, the council group included Cllr Alex Wagner, Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Communities, Cllr Roger Evans, Portfolio Holder for Finance, and Cllr Andy Davis, Chair of People Overview & Scrutiny Committee. Also present was Dr Andy Wigley, Policy and Environment Service Manager (and a member of the council’s Canal Project Board).
Huge thanks are also due to Chris Bushnell and Maggie Ellis for the opportunity to use their boat, Ictus.
