South East User Group Meetings Spring 2013 16 th April @ Braunston, 25 th April @ Tring
The Trust so far - Corporate - SE Partnership Maintenance priorities 2013 / 2014 Major works activity 2013/2014 Lock 12 Aylesbury Arm Vegetation works Boating Visitor moorings consultation - Evasion / enforcement update Water situation 2012 Agenda
The Trust so far
Strategic Priorities Almost 50% of the population lives within 5 miles of our network of canals, rivers and towpaths. We believe the true potential of our canals and rivers, and their longterm survival will on y be secured if we fully engage with our visitors, neighbours and business partners.
Strategic Priorities of the Trust
CANAL & RIVER TRUST - Governance ( c250 people in total) Board of Trustees (x10) Council (x35) Nominations Committee National Stakeholder Constituencies Executive Directors Nat User Forum Technical Advisory Committees (x80) Commercial Trading Subsidiary National functions Function Function Function Function Etc Charitable envelope Local Waterways Waterway Waterway Waterway Waterway Waterway Partnership Partnership Partnership Partnership Partnership (CIC) Etc TOTAL 130 Local communities; Local interest groups; Local user groups; Local government; Civic societies; etc.
Conditional Grant Conditionality (15/16) Standards Applicable Measurement Warning Threshold 1. Safe Waterways 2. Towpath condition 3. Flood Management Asset Management to be in accordance with PAS-55. Percentage of assets in Class D and Class E shall not rise to or above the relevant thresholds Percentage of towpath at condition A, B or C shall not fall to or below the relevant thresholds Percentage of principal culverts & embankments in class D & E, breach of which would cause more than 2m in damages, shall not rise to or above the relevant thresholds 23% in Classes D&E 60% in condition A-C 4% in Classes D&E Breach Threshold 25% in Classes D&E 50% in condition A-C 7% in Classes D&E CRT current score 17% in Classes D&E SE 11% 75% in condition A- C SE 76% 2.3% in Classes D&E SE 0%
Funding our work We have a 15-year contract with government and are growing our earned income through commercial and fundraising activities.
www.canalrivertrust.org.uk
Fundraising highlights - 2500 Friends by end of year 1-1m Peoples Postcode lottery contribution - Many initial, launch projects now funded :- - SE Iron Trunk Aqueduct platform - GUL Coir roll installation - Breach appeal raised over 20k - Considering approach for Lock 12 (A Arm)
Generic poster to be used in 2013.
Enterprise highlights - Berkhamsted towpath 550m, 90k - Cassiobury Park towpath 3km, 260k - Aylesbury Arm towpath - 4.25km, 350k - N pton Arm towpath 800m, 100k+ (lock 14 ) - 75k (Towcester Rd bridge) - Iron trunk Aqueduct structure, interp etc 120k - Banbury towpath* 3.6km, 300k (Br164 lock 27) - Weston Turville 3km (circ walk), 150k - Stoke Bruerne/museum Interp/lighting, 120k - Oxford centre Interp / signage etc - 80k - Oxford 1 km, 220k (Sustrans funded)
Waterways Partnerships what are they about? The main roles of the Partnership: 1. Bring local influence, knowledge and experience 2. Grow the resources available to the Trust The Partnership is an advisory body, established to add value to the waterway. It will support and advise the waterway team on: The prioritisation of available resources The development of the funding, volunteer and other resources The balancing of the interests of waterway users, the local community and others with an interest in the waterway The championing the interests of the waterway
Waterway Partnership South East John Best, Chair Ann Davies Kerry Foster Lynda Payton Dick Pilkinton Andrew Taylor Verna Wass Chris Stanley Jeff Whyatt
SE Partnership focus so far. - Engagement of LA / Parishes - Defining opportunities for active involvement. Canoeing, cycling, walking and angling. - Continued support for boating - Define fundraising priorities - Strategic 10 year focus draft for June / July 2013. - Will consult on our draft proposals - Partnership AGM 5 th June, Mercure Hotel, MK
STRATEGIC WATERWAY PLAN
Strategic Character Areas
Maintenance Priorities
Priority defect works 950k programme - 560 defined defects to be resolved - compares with 760k spend in 2012/13 Defects include: - 19 Estates notifications requiring resolution with 3 rd parties - 3 contract jobs including: - Bridge 163 Heritage Repairs (Cassiobury Park) - Improvements to Leighton Buzzard Pump station inlet - Bankstaff works on site include - Bank Protection - Leak stopping - Backfilling of Towpaths Planned Preventative Maintenance Programme - 19 Feeders added this year - now 7 principle assets on PPM regimes
10 leaves to be replaced at 6 locks Focus on gate & lock repairs. To include : Gate relining and water conservation works at: - Aylesbury Arm - Welford Locks - Buckby Flight - Foxton Locks - Cropredy Locks - Stockton Locks Cost comparison 2012/13 2013/14 Gate Replacement 410K 213K Gate & Lock repairs 165K 389K Total 566K 602K
Major Works Activity
Tringford Pumping Station Year 1 of 3, strategic review Oxford Bridge 34 pending further design work to stabilise structure & increase weight limit Oxford, replacement of culvert 75a Bridge 163 (cassio park) possible involvement of WRG Leicester line dredging preparatory work / stakeholder group. Drayton Reservoir fishing platform repair / replacements. Mooring site (structural) upgrades Agenda 21, Fenny Stratford. Aylesbury Arm Lock 12 rebuild..
Lock 12 Aylesbury Arm Failed Thurs 28 th March Aylesbury Arm closed forthwith Investigation thorough & continues - topographic survey will be conclusive. Major works (contingency) enacted Contractor to be mobilised July/Aug Won t affect new marina fill
Winter season 12/13 boat works 89 km covered by boat, 14km actual metres cut - Including 64 leaning trees - 1329 limbs affecting navigation or sightlines Locations Leicester Line North (Saddington) Kings Langley, Langley Stream Aylesbury Arm Napton- Hillmorton Napton- Cropredy Milton Keynes Radford section Small section near Somerton 600m Small Section South Ox Dukes cut 500m
Winter season 13/14 offside / boats plan GU Cosgrove - Gayton - NOX Hillmorton Hawkesbury junction - GL Market Harbour Arm - GL Debdale South Concludes our 4 year cycle of offside works
Reed cutting (12/13) - 12 km Tring feeder South Oxford bridge 211 nr enslow Northampton Arm Wendover Arm North and South Kilworth, Welford Arm Marsworth Reservoir Coming winter similar locations but emphasis on spraying
High risk tree works Residual works from 2009 survey :- Total 278 trees dealt with during recent winter, inc.. 91 fells, 55 pollards, 118 coppice, 9 deadwood crown reduce Focus on - zone 1, destinations & mooring sites Over 6000 trees dealt with in total total stock in SE, 25000 + 2013 tree survey to be carried out April / May NB - SE had most med risk trees on previous survey
SE Visitor Moorings Consultation Summary now online at www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/consultations click on completed consultations on right hand side.
Summary of VM consultation Consultation invite sent to - 4000 SE boats sighted in 2012-9000 recipients of Boaters update 360 responses 700 signing an online petition requesting withdrawal Follow up workshops held mid March Detailed proposals for 8 sites discussed.
Next steps 8 locations for action in 2013 - Top 3 Foxton, Thrupp, S Bruerne (by May/June) - Next 5 by August (?) Marsworth, Berko, Batch th Banbury, Oxford Signage now being progressed Recrutiment of volunteers to assist with sightings, this is the main challenge Further 12-16 sites in 2014 based on learnings & progress in 2013.
Enforcement License Evasion 2012/13 :- National 3.9% - up slightly South East 1.8% - held at 2012 level Boat Seizures:- 72 nationally 46 destroyed, 12 sold 25 in south East Increasing focus on overstaying boats:- 200+ cases in SE out of 900 nationally
Water situation 2013
South East Reservoir Position (% holding) 2011 2012 2013 Start End Start End start South Oxford 97 30 60 96 99 GU Braunston 97 23 59 90 100 GU Leicester 82 10 31 100 100 GV North 86 15 60 100 100 Total (GU/Oxford) 88 20 48 94 100 Total GU South (Tring Group) 97 38 60 62 92
Nb borehole capacity
Thankyou Any questions? (format of meeting?) www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/noticeboards/south-east-waterways
Volunteer Projects Oxford Canal Fenny Compton Brick Kiln Preservation Trust Restoration of an historic brick kiln adjacent to the towpath Rugby Rotary Club Lock painting and litter picking at Hillmorton Thrupp Canal Cruisers Repair of a water-point; trial of Mooring Rangers scheme WRG Brickwork on two bridges near Barby (in conjunction with contractors)
Volunteer Projects GUN Blisworth Canal Society Refurbishment of historic hut for use as an education centre Braunston Canal Society Pending adoption of the area; regular maintenance of locks and towpath BTCV Hedge-laying at Watford Locks Buckingham Canal Society Vegetation clearance with corporate volunteers & ongoing restoration work OUCS Towpath restoration and bench replacement in Foxton heritage area
Moving forward with Volunteering Upcoming focus : Towpath Taskforce Regular volunteer activity days organised by CRT in selected areas Adoptions Active volunteer groups to be encouraged to formally adopt a stretch of canal for an annually planned programme of approved maintenance Increased website input Wider publicity for volunteer activities, events and successes Any questions drop John or Miriam a line john.highmore or miriam.tedder@canalrivertrust.org.uk