IWA Looks East - Eastern Region Newsletter January 2020

IWA Looks East Campaigning for your Waterways Welcome to an update on waterway matters in IWA’s Eastern Region. There is lots going on in the East and plenty for you to get involved in - we have a range of IWA campaigns and restoration projects happening right now. Read on to see how you can get involved in a project in your area.

Plus we’d love to hear your thoughts on the sorts of activities we should be doing through our Eastern Region survey.

- Chris Howes Region Chair, Eastern Region The Inland Waterways Association (IWA)

waterways.org.uk 1

what is going on at iwa across the uk?

Gaptracker Survey Could you help us identify areas on the Anglian Waterways where basic facilities, such as water points, rubbish and sewage disposal are missing? Having carried out some initial monitoring, we are now gathering more evidence so that we can work with navigation authorities to encourage them to provide new or additional facilities in the right locations.

Help us work to improve facilities provision in the region: waterways.org.uk/gaptracker Heritage Survey We need your help to uncover the real picture of the historical gems of the country’s waterways - not just waterside buildings and locks but also smaller things such as signage, canal furniture or the remnants of an industrial past. What are your feelings about waterways heritage?

Tell us how important waterways heritage is to you: waterwaterways.org.uk/heritagetracker cruise it or lose it IWA’s Silver Propeller Challenge encourages waterway users to visit as many of the nation’s underused waterways as possible.

The aim is to visit 20 Silver Propeller locations. Feedback will help identify where facilities could be improved or issues need to be addressed and all challenge participants will receive a plaque on completion.

Find out more about IWA’s Silver Propeller Challenge: waterways.org.uk/silverpropeller

2

new waterways Boston to Peterborough wetland corridor

Bedford & milton keynes waterway

In a joint effort, IWA’s Peterborough and Lincolnshire branches are leading on this project to create a brand new waterway linking the River Witham in Boston to the River Nene in Peterborough. The link would open up a new cruising, cycling and pedestrian route, a wetland corridor, and bring economic regeneration to areas along the route.

The proposed new Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Park would provide a 16 mile link between the Grand Union Canal in Milton Keynes to the River Great Ouse in Bedford.

33

New Black Sluice Lock is built as the first stage of the project to link Boston and Peterborough

campaigning

More money needed

Cruising to make change

One of our biggest ongoing campaigns in the region is to make sure there is enough money to look after Anglian Waterways.

Rivers managed by the Environment Agency have been starved of funding for years and the resulting lack of maintenance is starting to show. Help us lobby the decision makers.

IWA has run several campaigning cruises to highlight the closure at Welches Dam Lock and draw the attention of local media. We have an Easter cruise planned in 2020.

Would you like to come along by boat, canoe or paddleboard?

Re-opening Access

ELY MOORINGS SUCCESS

Welches Dam closed since 2006, connects the Middle Level Navigations to the Old Bedford River and the channel beyond has become unusable. IWA’s Peterborough Branch, working in partnership with the Project Hereward team, is campaigning for its restoration. Could you lend your support to the branch?

IWA lobbied the Environment Agency to stop the sale of Ely river frontage to private bidders.

Fighting to keep the land in public hands to preserve current navigation and leisure activities, we approached the Waterways Minister, MPs and local council leaders. Our efforts finally paid off and East Cambridgeshire District Council stepped in.

4

restoration

CLEAN-UPS

There are many active canal and river restorations in IWA Eastern Region from the Buckingham Arm on the Grand Union Canal to the North Walsham & Dilham Canal in Norfolk. IWA actively supports all restoration projects and over the past few years we have worked closely with several projects in the Eastern Region – helping restore a weir on the North Walsham & Dilham Canal at Ebridge, to providing a grant to the River Stour to unlock funds to restore the Stratford St Mary Lock. This opened up an additional 1.7 miles of navigable waterway for public access by boat.

IWA Peterborough Branch

Find out more, visit visit our website: waterways.org.uk/restoration

Regular canal clean-ups on the Grand Union Canal, Northampton Arm, take place weekdays and Sundays at different locations. To join in, contact Geoff Wood, IWA Northampton Branch: geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk

After clearing the Horseway Channel, IWA Peterborough Branch is planning to launch a clean-up initiative on the Old River Nene in March in partnership with the Middle Level Waterman’s Club and Middle Level Commisioners.

IWA milton keynes Branch Two canal clean-ups a year in spring and autumn. For details of the spring clean-up visit: waterways.org.uk/miltonkeynes IWA Northampton Branch

Or email us: alex.melson@waterways.org.uk

Gryff Rhys Jones opening Stratford St Mary Lock

We could not run our campaigns without your time and support. If you would like to get involved, please email: chris.howes@waterways.org.uk 55

The Wash

Boston Black Sluice Navigation River Glen

River Welland River Great Ouse

Spalding

Let us know your thoughts on how we can support the waterways of the Eastern Region and what matters to you.

2

market deeping

The Fens

downham market

O Ri ld B df ve e or r dfo dR rd ive r

20 Foot Old Nene

River Wissey

7 40 Foot

River Nene

Ne w

Be

New Dyke

huntingdon

2

River Lark

Old West River

River Cam

Northampton Arm

ely

st ives

River Great Ouse

4

st neots

cambridge

Grand Union Canal

8

Middle Level Main Drain

River Nene

3

kings lynn

Bedford

River Ivel

1

1

2

1

Norwich 3

River Wissey Navigable Waterway Unnavigable Waterway Proposed New Waterway

New Waterways 1. Bedford to Milton Keynes Waterway Park 2. Boston to Peterborough Wetland Corridor IWA Branches in Eastern Region 1. Milton Keynes Branch 2. Northampton Branch 3. Peterborough Branch 4. Great Ouse Branch

Restoration Projects 1. North Walsham & Dilham Canal 2. Aylsham Navigation 3. Waveney Navigation 4. Blyth Navigation 5. Stowmarket Navigation 6. River Stour 7. Welches Dam Lock & Horseway Channel 8. Buckingham Arm

Contact us: chris.howes@waterways.org.uk (IWA Eastern Region Chair) nicola.kiely@waterways.org.uk (IWA Volunteers Support Officer)

River Little Ouse River Lark

Cambridge River Stour

The Broads

5 6

4

01494 783 453

waterways.org.uk/easternregion The Inland Waterways Association is a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee. Company registration number 612245.

Charity registration number 212342. Registered 6 office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA