Press Release

MEP HAILS NEW EU PLAN TO MOVE FREIGHT FROM ROAD TO WATER AS A “UNIQUE ENVIRONMENTAL OPPORTUNITY”

3 November 2006

Pictured: left to right;  Simon Bamford, General Manager, British Waterways (London); Robert Evans MEP (London) and Karen Bermingham, Sea and Water on board a 90-tonne capacity freight barge at Hanson' s Cement Works where sand and gravel is transported along the Grand Union Canal.  (Picture courtesy Toby Vandevelde Uxbridge Gazette 3.11.06)

London MEP Robert Evans visited a waterways freight operation in West Drayton, Middlesex, today to launch a European Union initiative to reinvigorate the UK’s Inland Waterways.

The European Action Plan could see millions of pounds in funding released to aid new business, training and waterways infrastructure.

The Labour MEP has hailed the plan to move freight transportation from roadways to waterways as a great environmental opportunity and the logical step to combating congestion on our overloaded roads.

Representatives from waterway managers British Waterways and water-freight campaigners Sea and Water will join Mr Evans on the Grand Union Canal in West Drayton where he will discuss the EU initiative, approved last week by the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

“Inland waterways are an efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly alternative transport system,” Mr Evans said. “There are vessels on the waterways that can carry the freight of 14 articulated lorries, 600 cars or 20 lorry loads of gravel, while using a fiftieth of the fuel used by a single lorry.”

“Moreover, reinvigoration of the waterways has the potential to boost local economies and reintroduce skills lost over the past century in the move away from water,” he added.

The UK currently has 217 businesses operating on the waterways with a turnover of 111 million pounds and employing 1,921 people, but suffers from a lack of appropriate infrastructure and trained staff.

“Rivers like the Thames, Severn and Mersey, among others, provide a network by which modern vessels can reach the major towns and cities of Britain. This action plan aims to reinvigorate these waterways by addressing issues such as start up funding, innovation, maintenance and workforce training,” Mr Evans commented.

Simon Bamford, general manager for British Waterways London, the organisation responsible for maintaining the UK’s 2,200 miles (3,540km) of inland waterway network, welcomed the EU initiative.

“Once the lifeblood to the world’s first Industrial Revolution, Britain’s inland waterways are now a unique part of our working heritage, providing a valuable leisure and environmental resource and a major catalyst for regeneration.

“In certain areas, we also believe they can provide a clean 21st century transport system and we are working with Transport for London and other partners to exploit niche markets such as construction materials, waste and recyclables.”

Dr Heather Leggate, Director of Sea and Water, said: “In the light of today’s release of the Stern Report the environmental and commercial benefits of moving freight on water will become more important. Water-borne freight reduces emissions by 80% and uses less fossil fuels than other modes of transport. With the increase in freight predicted to be 2.5% a year water freight will go along way in reducing harmful congestion, pollution and noise providing the retail, construction and waste industries an opportunity to “green up” their supply chains.”