Petition launched to save Mon & Brec

A PETITION has been launched to save the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal.

Severely restricts water

As legislation has been brought in that severely restricts the supply of water that feeds the navigation, Janet Friend reports.

This is as Canal & River Trust now require a licence by law to extract water from the Usk, that was not necessary in the past.

As we pointed out this will severely restrict water in the navigation that could lead to its close.

The trust made two appeals to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales, but both were rejected, it telling that the limitation in water supply will mean the canal’s locks will quickly become inoperable and closure will be inevitable.

Petition

A Senedd petition calling for the Welsh Government to intervene and help preserve the unique character of the canal has been launched and can be signed via the link below.

It soon surpassed the 250 signature requirement for it to be discussed by the Senedd Petitions Committee. Should it reach 10,000 signatures it will be considered for a debate in the Welsh Parliament.

The petition was launched by Goetre Councillor Janet Butler and has been signed and supported by Monmouth MS Peter Fox, who related:

Grave concerns

“I have grave concerns about the future of the Monmouthshire & Brecon canal. The Canal & River Trust’s new abstraction licence from NRW will restrict the canal from operating as it should, especially if water levels drop.

“This wonderful waterway has been operating perfectly well for 230 years without this regulation. It borrows water from the Usk at Brecon and returns it at Newport.

“The new limitations on water abstraction will restrict the canal’s use or require the Canal Trust to pay Welsh Water circa a million pounds a year for additional water.

“It can’t be right that NRW as a regulator, set up to protect our environment, will through regulations possibly destroy a key part of that environment."

Those wishing to sign the petition can do so here.  This morning (Friday) since published in narrowboatworld it had leaped to 4,449 signatures from 1,500 on Wednesday morning.