Benefits from English Heritage

I SEE lots of potential benefits in working more closely with English Heritage and other heritage organisations, writes John Dodwell.

The Droitwich Canals restoration had £4.6m from the Heritage Lottery Fund—about half of the money needed for the later stage works (much of the rest came from local authorities and the regional development agency—now being abolished).

Lune Aqueduct

And the Lancaster Canal's Lune Aqueduct is now being repaired with the help of a £1m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. In some areas, English Heritage guys have been very particular about how maintenance is carried out; in other areas, there is now an understanding that British Waterways guys on the spot can be trusted to get it right. I'd like to see more of this, so Canal & River Trust guys don't get held up by 'the rules'.

Being the owner of a boat (and I'm not the only transition trustee who owns a boat—Lynne Berry does too), I'll be pleased if we can get a closer relationship with the heritage guys. Their interests include the locks, the bridges, the aqueducts, the buildings and other structures I much appreciate.

Public benefits

I also see Canal & River Trust as appealing to all types of user—after all, the government is offering a 10 year contract of £39m (hopefully plus) for the public benefits the waterways bring via towpath use, flood protection and drainage, and in other ways. I'm afraid the government isn't offering the money just for boats!

John Dodwell, Transition Trustee, Canal & River Trust