Still hope for the Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway

IT IS THOUGHT that building part of the Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway could help with flooding.

It was over 20 years ago that the idea of connecting the Grand Union at Milton Keynes to the River Great Ouse at Bedford took off, with parts constructed, Janet Friend reports.

Disbanded

But its problems and cost caused it to be disbanded so the link was never completed, but its route is protected.

After flooding closed the A421 for two weeks, Simon Clewlow, Chairman of Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Trust (BMKW), said connecting the River Great Ouse in Bedford to the Grand Union Canal in Milton Keynes meant water could be held where it is wanted, and so avert flooding.

He adding it would provide leisure activities as well as a chance for nature to recover, believing that the time for the waterway has come.

However, when first muted, its total cost was estimated at £200m, but now it would cost more in the region of £300m to complete, and though various ideas were put forward for building the waterway over Bogborough Hill near Milton Keynes no method was finalised.

A game changer

Simon Clewlow explained:

"The project could be the game changer when it comes to enabling nature to recover. It would provide a continuous thread through the three boroughs.

"We have the opportunity to mitigate the impact of flooding and mitigate the impact of water shortages, provide much more water resilience to everybody, not just within the area between Milton Keynes and Bedford but beyond and into Cambridgeshire."

He explained one section could link Stewartby Lake with Brogborough Lake, which is less prone to flooding, so it doesn't come down the Marston Vale and flood the A421, believing it would hold the water there until flood levels drop and then be released back to Stewartby Lake.