Millennium money is good news for waterways

Britain's waterways are to reap benefits from the Millennium Commission's last ever batch of major grants.

Since it was set up in 1995, the Lottery-funded scheme has given over £1.3 billion to 200 Millennium Projects - including the restoration of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and Scotland's Millennium Link, the majestic Falkirk Wheel, and the first new waterway for almost a century, the Millennium Ribble Link near Preston. This last-named project has just been awarded a further £150,000. This will pay for canalside seats, a wildlife area, and education facilities.

There is good news for waterway walkers and cyclists, too. The Millennium Commission has announced new awards of £1m to the Sustrans National Cycle Network and £635,000 to the Trans Pennine Trail, both of which run along canals and rivers for much of their length.

On Suffolk's River Stour, a £37,000 grant will go towards the new lock at Great Cornard - the first to be built in the river for 200 years. And countryside attractions including the waterside Conkers visitor centre, on the Ashby Canal in Leicestershire, and Lancaster's River Lune Millennium Park have also been awarded grants. The Black Country Urban Forest, clustered around the Birmingham Canal Navigations, wins £60,000.

Rt Hon Tessa Jowell MP, Chair of the Millennium Commission and Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport said: "Not enough people realise the extent of the contribution the Lottery has made to the lives people lead right across the UK – perhaps that is one of the reasons why Lottery sales have declined. Hopefully, these final major Millennium Commission grants, which build on the success of existing Commission projects, will help get the message across because they can typify the benefits which the Lottery is building."