Dumping the waterways
IN AN amusing Freudian slip, the consultation document, A New Era for the Waterways is stored on the web as a file named 110330-waterways-condoc.
A con the document certainly is! It simply reiterates government's intention of dumping the waterways on the third sector without adequate funding, writes Allan Richards.
Kill off freight
One surprise in the 86 page document is government's seeming intention to kill off freight on our waterways. In section 4.3.16 it states (in bold for added emphasis) 'The Government believes that the statutory commitments under the Transport Act 1968 to maintain waterways for freight traffic may be unaffordable as currently constituted.'
Perhaps the Olympic disaster of Three Mills Lock with its non-existent commercial traffic and aftermath of claims against British Waterways from the building contractor and Transport for London have soured any hopes for the future.
Financial benefits
The other major surprise is the financial benefits the third sector will bring. British Waterways claimed £17m in year ten but government are now saying only £13m. It would appear that government do not accept British Waterways' figures having halved the financial contribution that volunteers will make.
No surprise
However, it comes as no surprise that government, in its eagerness to dump British Waterways in the third sector, makes no mention of the current maintenance deficit (estimated to be over a third of a billion pounds), the funding gap (the extra £50m British Waterways should be spending each year on maintenance) or the circa £100m black hole in British Waterways' pension fund.
Governance and funding
Governance and funding go hand in hand. Whilst a move to the third sector brings the tantalising reward of better governance, many remain unconvinced on the funding aspects.
Is it simply a case of the emperor's new clothes with British Waterways replacing its Board with trustees or will directors step down to demonstrate its acceptance of failure and commitment to a new regime?