Britain's official guide to canals, rivers and lakes

Tuesday 13th May 2008

Boaters' Update September 2007

This month’s Boaters' Update covers the success of the IWA National Festival and the new winter stoppage programme, as well news on the appointed waterway review advisors.

  • Stoppage programme

The stoppage programme detailing the engineering works BW has planned over the winter months has been published. You can view it online here.
Alternatively if you would prefer a hard copy to be sent to you then please contact customer services via email: enquiries.hq@britishwaterways.co.uk or telephone: 01923 201120.

Don’t forget you can sign up to receive up-to-the-minute stoppages and restrictions online on Waterscape.com. Or, if you have a WAP enabled mobile phone, you can even check out the stoppages as you’re cruising at: www.waterscape.com/mobile (please note this last address is only usable through your WAP enabled mobile phone).
Sign up for stoppage alerts

  • National Waterways Festival

The IWA National Waterways Festival which took place over the August bank holiday weekend at St Ives was another great success, with attendance over 25,000. British Waterways joined other navigation authorities to form the Association of Inland Navigation Authorities (AINA) marquee. Partners included The Boat Safety Scheme, The Environment Agency, The Green Blue, The Broads Authority, Middle Level Commissioners and the CAM conservators. It was reported that despite initial problems with mud, there was a very positive team spirit on site with volunteers such as the Waterway Recovery Group pulling together and helping the show run smoothly.

And another date for your diary, next year’s IWA National Waterways Festival will be held at Autherley Junction, near Wolverhampton, where the Shropshire Union Canal joins the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, on 23 - 25 August 2008.

  • Moorings Tender Update

Work is progressing for the 12 month tendering trial of BW long term moorings. Since 5 September, BW has ceased allocating vacancies to people on their waiting lists and staff are now preparing details about each vacancy ready for the website launch. BW anticipates launching at the end of September and in the preceding week, will contact everyone who has registered an interest.

If you haven’t yet registered your interest in the moorings tender trial you can do so either online at Waterscape.com or by post; call the customer service centre for a postal registration pack (£10 administration fee) T: 01923 201120.
More about registering your interest online

  • BW’s new non-executive Board members announced

The Waterways Minister Jonathan Shaw recently appointed three new members to the Board of British Waterways. These are:

  • Prodaman ‘Pommy’ Sarwal, financial adviser and non-executive Board member of the Port of London Authority and the Chatham Historic Dockyard Trust.
  • Eric Prescott, former President and Managing Director of Alstom UK and other infrastructure companies.
  • Maggie Carver, former financier and a non-executive Director of the RDF Media Group PLC and Satellite Information Services Ltd

The new Board members were appointed because they have specialist expertise in civil engineering/asset management and finance. They will start in October 2007.
More about the new BW Board members

  • Waterway review advisors announced

BW has appointed joint advisors KPMG and Merrill Lynch, subject to contract, to review BW’s options for its future status, and to recommend any changes that would improve the long term sustainability of the inland waterways.

The review is being commissioned by BW and, in discussion with Defra and the Scottish Executive, will seek opportunities for BW to increase investment in the waterways as a living national heritage asset that contributes strongly to regeneration and public enjoyment of the environment. The review will be published in the New Year.

  • Wildlife Survey 2007

Autumn brings a whole host of new wildlife spotting opportunities, from young coots and moorhens to badgers and fox cubs. Why not keep an eye on what’s crawling, flying, swimming, or hopping around your area? You can help our ecologists track the wildlife in and around Britain’s canals and rivers, by filling in BW’s wildlife survey. You can do this online at Waterscape.com or by contacting customer services via email: enquiries.hq@britishwaterways.co.uk or telephone: 01923 201120.
Take part in the waterway wildlife survey