A Sustainable Future Proposed Environment Agency Navigations for Transfer to & Trust www.waterways.org.uk/eatransfer 1 Keeping our waterways alive
1. Introduction IWA is campaigning for Environment Agency s 600 or so of inland navigations to be managed by & Trust, with the right funding package. IWA co-founder, Robert Aickman had a vision of a joined-up model for managing our inland waterways that wasn t subject to changes in government. The establishment of the & Trust (formerly British Waterways) in 2012 went some way towards realising his vision, taking some 2,000 of canals, rivers, docks and reservoirs into its control, along with a 15-year government financial settlement, property portfolio and the flexibility to pursue and develop new income streams. Yet, despite assurances that EA-controlled waterways would follow, the government announced in 2013 that it would shelve plans until after the general election. The Case for Change Budget reductions over recent years mean that conditions on EA navigations have deteriorated and are set to get worse. Subject to a satisfactory funding package to protect both CRT and EA navigations, the transfer would enable EA waterways to benefit from improved maintenance through long-term asset management plans, third party funding opportunities and the economies of scale to be gained from being part of a larger navigation. It would also offer opportunities for extension of the network, such as the Fens Waterways Link. 1 Cover image: Black Sluice Lock (Photo by Gren Messham) Welches Dam showing it stanked off from Old Bedford (Photo by Mike Daines)
2. EA Navigation Categories As part of the discussions on the potential transfer of EA Navigations, IWA has proposed a list of inland waterways that IWA believes needs to be managed by CRT. IWA has considered this list with input from inland waterway users to help inform the best outcome for the wider waterway community. These waterways fall into 4 categories, meeting different sets of criteria: Category EA Remit Recommended Allocation 1 EA is the navigation for the inland waterway. 2 EA manages the inland waterway under EA byelaws. 3 There is no navigation, however EA owns structures on the waterway used for navigation. 4 There is no navigation, and it is not clear who owns what in practice. To all be transferred to CRT, as the navigation. Responsibility for the byelaws to be transferred to CRT. To be considered individually, depending on the balance of navigation use and water level management use with a presumption that these assets will normally be transferred to CRT. To be considered individually, depending on the balance of navigation use and water level management use with a presumption that these will normally be transferred to a water level management, which may choose to take on navigation powers to facilitate navigation. IWA would not expect to see any orders or legislation involved in a potential transfer to extinguish any existing rights of public navigation. 2
EA Navigations Proposed for Transfer 3 Category Name of Waterway Extent Navigation Authority or Byelaws? (open) 1 Bottisham Lode Cam to Bottisham Navigation Authority 2.5 1 Burwell Lode Reach Lode at Upware to Burwell Navigation Authority 3.3 1 Forty Foot Drain (also called Vermuyden s Drain) Horseway to Welches Dam Navigation Authority 2.4 (closed) 1 Lydney and Harbour Nass Point to Lydney Navigation Authority 0.2 0.8 Lydney Harbour is for sale and may not be included in the transfer, IWA would wish to see it included in the transfer should the sale fall through/not be certain. should transfer. 1 New Bedford (Hundred Foot) Denver to Earith Navigation Authority 20.3 1 Old Bedford Salters Lode to Welches Dam Navigation Authority 12.3 1 Old West Pope s Corner to Hermitage Lock Navigation Authority 11.7 1 Reach Lode Upware to Reach Navigation Authority 3 1 Ancholme South Ferriby to Bishopbridge and Brigg loop Navigation Authority 20.8 1 Brede Rother to Brede Sluice Navigation Authority 0.5 EA owns quays and is Harbour Authority. Cam Popes Corner to Bottisham Navigation Authority 7 Cam Conservancy are navigation for top 7.5. 1 Ely Ouse (Ten Mile ) Denver to Pope s Corner Navigation Authority 19.6 1 Glen Surfleet to Tongue End Navigation Authority 11.5 Part of Fens Waterways Link. 1 Great Ouse Stow Bridge to Denver Navigation Authority 4.1 Below Stow Bridge is Kings Lyn Conservancy Board. 1 Great Ouse Flood Relief Channel Denver to Tail Sluice Navigation Authority 10.5 1 Kennet Thames to High Bridge Navigation Authority 1 1 Lark Ouse to Judes Ferry Navigation Authority 10.2 1 Little Ouse Ouse to Brandon Bridge Navigation Authority 13.7 Notes
Category Name of Waterway Extent Navigation Authority or Byelaws? 1 Medway (non-tidal) Allington to Leigh Flood Barrier Navigation Authority 19 1 Nene Bevis Hall to Northampton Navigation Authority 82.3 1 Ouse (Bedford) Earith to Kempston Mill Navigation Authority 40.9 1 Rother/Rye Harbour Sea to Scots Float Sluice (Star Lock) Navigation Authority 4 1 Stour (Suffolk) Cattawade Barrage to Brundon Mill, Sudbury (open) Navigation Authority 7.8 15.9 (closed) 1 Thames Teddington to Cricklade Navigation Authority 127.9 Non-tidal Thames. 1 Tillingham Brede to Tillingham Sluice Navigation Authority 0.25 1 Welland Fosdyke Bridge to Hudd s Mill, Stamford 1 Wissey Ouse to 1 mile upstream of Stoke Ferry Bridge Notes Navigation Authority 31.4 Part of Fens Waterways Link. Navigation Authority 9.9 1.5 1 Wicken Fen Lode Reach Lode at Upware to Wicken Navigation Authority 1.5 1 South Forty Foot Drain (Black Sluice Navigation) Boston to Guthram Gowt Navigation Authority 15.7 5.3 Part of Fens Waterways Link. Lee (Ware Lock only) Ware Lock 0.1 CRT waterway but this one lock is operated by EA. 2 Coronation Channel Welland at Marsh Road Sluice to Welland at Cowbit Road Sluice, Spalding 2 Adur Old Shoreham Bridge to Bines Bridge and Shermanbury Place Byelaws 2.5 Byelaws 11.1 2 Arun Arundel Bridge to Pallingham Byelaws 18.8 2 Lugg Mordiford to Presteigne Byelaws 45 Canoeable only, but has right of navigation. 2 Wye Bigsweir to Hay-on-Wye Byelaws 60 3 Market Weighton Entrance Lock No navigation 3 Colne Blackwater to Colchester No navigation 3 Royal Military Iden to West Hythe No navigation 3 Sleaford Navigation Chapel Hill to Cobblers Lock No navigation 0.1 11 EA owns locks, Colchester BC owns waterway. 16.2 7.6 EA and Sleaford Navigation Trust own structures 4
Category Name of Waterway Extent Navigation Authority or Byelaws? 3 Derwent Barmby to Stamford Bridge No navigation 3 Idle Trent to Bawtry No navigation 3 Rother Scots Float Sluice to Bodiam No navigation 4 Billinghay Skirth Witham to Billinghay Navigation, 4 Bourne Eau Tongue End to Bourne Navigation, 4 Counter Wash Drain Welches Dam to Mepal Navigation, 4 Metheringham Delph Witham to Metheringham Navigation, 4 Nocton Delph Witham to Nocton Navigation, 4 Ouse (Sussex) Above Horseshoe Sluice No navigation 4 Parrett Oath to Thorney Mills Bridge Lock Navigation, 4 Soham Lode Cam to Soham Navigation, 4 Swaffham Bulbeck Lode Cam to Swaffham Bulbeck Navigation, 4 Timberland Delph Witham to Timberland (Car Dyke) 4 Witham Navigable Drains East and West Fen Catchwaters, Stonebridge Drain, Maud Foster Drain Navigation, Navigation, (open) (closed) Notes 21.8 Top 6.3 currently inaccessible due to closure of Elvington Lock. EA own the lock with the possible exception of the bottom gates. No navigation. Subject of IWA campaign to get lock reopened. 10 12.5 2.8 2.8 3.5 3 3.5 3 19 Newhaven Port and Properties is Navigation 3.1 6.5 4.4 3.4 17.8 3 Authority downstream of Horseshoe Sluice. 5
Nene - yellow buoys marking gravel shoal below Alwalton Lock (Photo by Nick Grundy) 6
Navigation Authorities in England & Wales Lake District Lancaster Leeds & Liverpool Tees Leeds Ouse Hull & Trust Environment Agency Other Unnavigable/Proposed Waterway Liverpool Manchester Ancholme Sheffield Witham Llangollen Monmouthshire, Brecon & Abergavenny s Swansea Newport Shropshire Union Staffs & Worcs Birmingham Severn Bristol Trent & Mersey Avon Nottingham Oxford Trent Glen Leicester Nene Oxford Thames Grand Union Great Ouse Wissey Little Ouse Lark Cambridge Stour Chelmer & Blackwater Norwich The Broads Bude Grand Western Exeter Kennet & Avon Reading Wey Arun London Medway www.waterways.org.uk/eatransfer Published by: The Inland Waterways Association. Registered Office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, HP5 1WA. Tel: 01494 783453. The Inland Waterways Association is a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee. Registered in England no. 612245. Registered as a charity no. 212342 www.waterways.org.uk 7 Keeping our waterways alive