Canal Sell-Off

Cunobelin
Cunobelin Posts: 11,792
edited May 2007 in Campaign
In 2005 the Tories were criticsed for suggesting a selloff of the canal network.

Now it appears that New Labour have picked up the idea

If the suggestion is true, then there is a real threat. If there is no restriction or legislation to protect the waterside environment and developers are allowed to close parts of the network's towpaths then the continuity of many newtorks is threatened.

Any comments?



<b><i>He that buys land buys many stones.
He that buys flesh buys many bones.
He that buys eggs buys many shells,
But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.</b></i>
(Unattributed Trad.)
<b><i>He that buys land buys many stones.
He that buys flesh buys many bones.
He that buys eggs buys many shells,
But he that buys good beer buys nothing else.</b></i>
(Unattributed Trad.)

Comments

  • Sheddy
    Sheddy Posts: 942
    Hopefully the canal towpath is classified as a right of way, or am I being naive ?
    Too much of anything is too much for me
  • megilleland
    megilleland Posts: 786
    They may not be rights of way as you need a permit to cycle on them. Although, apparently you do not need a permit in London.
    http://www.waterscape.com/cycling/permit.html

    Extract from website:

    The Waterways Code aims to protect your own and other people's safety, to safeguard the environment, and to avoid disturbing the enjoyment of other users of the waterway and towpath. There is no public right of way for cyclists on canal towpaths, and British Waterways reserves the right to withdraw permission from users who disregard the rules.

    The more you spend - the faster you go - the less you see.
    The more you spend - the faster you go - the less you see.
  • davidmam
    davidmam Posts: 427
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by megilleland</i>

    They may not be rights of way as you need a permit to cycle on them. Although, apparently you do not need a permit in London.
    http://www.waterscape.com/cycling/permit.html

    Extract from website:

    The Waterways Code aims to protect your own and other people's safety, to safeguard the environment, and to avoid disturbing the enjoyment of other users of the waterway and towpath. There is no public right of way for cyclists on canal towpaths, and British Waterways reserves the right to withdraw permission from users who disregard the rules.

    The more you spend - the faster you go - the less you see.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    It is a right of way if you are towing a boat. So find a dinky toy on a piece of string and pull that. You will need to make sure it is licensed though..

    ..d

    Fat bloke on a bike
    Fat bloke on a bike
  • Buggi
    Buggi Posts: 674
    bad idea. next they'll be charging narrow boat owners tolls to use them. and one day i want a narrow boat (when i win the lottery i'm gonna have a posh one)

    _____________________________________________

    To infinity... and beyond!
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    To infinity... and beyond!
    my epic adventure: www.action.org.uk/~Antonia
  • linfordlunchbox
    linfordlunchbox Posts: 4,834
    All boats have to be licensed to use the canals and rivers


    "I\'d clean my car with a baby elephant - if I had a baby elephant !"
  • stelvio
    stelvio Posts: 1,422
    Pity the license does not include some sort of emissions testing, as most canal barges are surrounded by a toxic cloud of poisonous diesel fumes. No road vehicle would get an MOT with these engines.
  • Kev67
    Kev67 Posts: 2,351
    I've heard British Waterways (or whatever they're called) are up to no good on R4. They seem hell-bent on selling all their riverside estate to property developers. B-u-g-g-e-r anyone who may be trying to make a living on the canals.
    <font size="1"><font face="Book Antiqua"><font color="purple">Cycle the power.</font id="purple"></font id="size1"></font id="Book Antiqua">
  • linfordlunchbox
    linfordlunchbox Posts: 4,834
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by stelvio</i>

    Pity the license does not include some sort of emissions testing, as most canal barges are surrounded by a toxic cloud of poisonous diesel fumes. No road vehicle would get an MOT with these engines.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    Old boats yes as they use ancient lister engines, but the newer ones use modern marinised diesel car engines. One we hired a few years ago had an Isuzu engine in it. It was clean running, virtually silent and very frugal.


    "I'd clean my car with a baby elephant - if I had a baby elephant !"


    "I\'d clean my car with a baby elephant - if I had a baby elephant !"
  • Regulator
    Regulator Posts: 417
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Kev67</i>

    I've heard British Waterways (or whatever they're called) are up to no good on R4. They seem hell-bent on selling all their riverside estate to property developers. B-u-g-g-e-r anyone who may be trying to make a living on the canals.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">



    I wouldn't be so quick to blame British Waterways. Their funding from central government (DEFRA) has been almost halved and yet the demands placed on them by government (waterways improvements, environmental management, etc) have increased hugely. They are being forced to "sell the family silver" in part because of the fiasco at DEFRA over farm payments.

    ___________________________
    Bugger elephants - capabari are cuter!
    ___________________________
    Bugger elephants - capabari are cuter!
  • Tourist Tony
    Tourist Tony Posts: 8,628
    Greg, I somehow thought canals might be right up your street....

    If I had a stalker, I would hug it and kiss it and call it George...or Dick
    If I had a stalker, I would hug it and kiss it and call it George...or Dick
    http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=3 ... =3244&v=5K
  • Mister Paul
    Mister Paul Posts: 719
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Regulator</i>

    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Kev67</i>

    I've heard British Waterways (or whatever they're called) are up to no good on R4. They seem hell-bent on selling all their riverside estate to property developers. B-u-g-g-e-r anyone who may be trying to make a living on the canals.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">



    I wouldn't be so quick to blame British Waterways. <b>Their funding from central government (DEFRA) has been almost halved </b>and yet the demands placed on them by government (waterways improvements, environmental management, etc) have increased hugely. They are being forced to "sell the family silver" in part because of the fiasco at DEFRA over farm payments.

    ___________________________
    Bugger elephants - capabari are cuter!
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    There's a nasty rumour that this is the fault of the Olympics.

    I'd rather have a decent canal network than an Olympic village.

    __________________________________________________________
    <font size="1">Road Safety Expert</font id="size1">
    __________________________________________________________
    <font>What we need is a new, national <b>White Bicycle Plan</b></font>
  • Regulator
    Regulator Posts: 417
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Tourist Tony</i>

    Greg, I somehow thought canals might be right up your street....

    If I had a stalker, I would hug it and kiss it and call it George...or Dick
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">


    They are. I cycle along them and have dived in them. I've even 'cruised' one or two in my time... [:D]

    ___________________________
    Bugger elephants - capabari are cuter!
    ___________________________
    Bugger elephants - capabari are cuter!
  • Regulator
    Regulator Posts: 417
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Mister Paul</i>

    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Regulator</i>

    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Kev67</i>

    I've heard British Waterways (or whatever they're called) are up to no good on R4. They seem hell-bent on selling all their riverside estate to property developers. B-u-g-g-e-r anyone who may be trying to make a living on the canals.
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">



    I wouldn't be so quick to blame British Waterways. <b>Their funding from central government (DEFRA) has been almost halved </b>and yet the demands placed on them by government (waterways improvements, environmental management, etc) have increased hugely. They are being forced to "sell the family silver" in part because of the fiasco at DEFRA over farm payments.

    ___________________________
    Bugger elephants - capabari are cuter!
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    There's a nasty rumour that this is the fault of the Olympics.

    I'd rather have a decent canal network than an Olympic village.

    __________________________________________________________
    <font size="1">Road Safety Expert</font id="size1">
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">




    <font size="3"> Nothing to do with the Olympics that I am aware of... but everything to do with the fiasco of the Rural Payments Agency and the Single Payments Scheme. DEFRA, the RPA sponsoring department, has cut British Waterways' funding funding as a result of the RPA/SPS fiasco and the huge fine imposed by the EU. The cuts have also hit bodies like English Nature and the Environment Agency, and grant-aided organisations like the RSPB.

    However, as per bloody usual with this Government, no minister has resigned/been sacked because of the utter cock-up their department has made of a fairly simple matter like dispersing money. An yes, it is simple - but this government knew better and set up another quango, with a new computer scheme, rather than rely on civil servants who, despite everything, are relatively competent and efficient....

    ___________________________
    Bugger elephants - capabari are cuter!</font id="size3">
    ___________________________
    Bugger elephants - capabari are cuter!
  • Tourist Tony
    Tourist Tony Posts: 8,628
    Careful, Reg, you'll get the usual spanking suspects along to tell you how wrong you are.
    Have you mentioned the BBC yet?

    If I had a stalker, I would hug it and kiss it and call it George...or Dick
    If I had a stalker, I would hug it and kiss it and call it George...or Dick
    http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=3 ... =3244&v=5K
  • Michuel
    Michuel Posts: 269
    <blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Cunobelin</i>

    In 2005 the Tories were criticsed for suggesting a selloff of the canal network.

    Now it appears that New Labour have picked up the idea

    If the suggestion is true, then there is a real threat. If there is no restriction or legislation to protect the waterside environment and developers are allowed to close parts of the network's towpaths then the continuity of many newtorks is threatened.

    Any comments?
    <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

    There is also the water freight perspective as well as cycle paths along the river. British Waterways seem mainly interested in property development of the canals. Although the Government claims it wants freight transport to ease road pressure it is doing nothing see/hear the recent BBC program "Gridlocked" (May 15 Radio 4) at

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/pip/r8b7c/

    which says it all

    But there's plenty of other reports on the web re British Waterways

    I believe planning requires that new canalside developments must leave 8 metres free on the canalside .