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Brogborough Hill: picnic site ... will |
Our vision is to build a broad waterway which will be part of a linear water park from Milton Keynes to Bedford. The waterway will be a 'thread' with 'beads' of sustainable development - houses, leisure facilities, commerce etc - along its route.
Click here for a PDF copy of our latest leaflet. (90kb)
The file is in Adobe Acrobat format and prints onto A4 paper landscape.
The Trust thinks that the Waterway could provide:
new homes and business buildings in peaceful waterside locations
additional routes for walkers, cyclists, riders and boaters of all kinds
a new Fenland cruising ring
outdoor spaces for people to enjoy, including an enhanced country park
excellent competition fishing for anglers
new sporting and leisure facilities
havens for wildlife
new tourist sites where it goes under the motorway, and round Brogborough Hill
examples of the best in 21st century engineering, design and landscaping
The committee has now agreed a workplan, with four key strands:
Petitioning Government and associated funding agencies, local authorities and associated developers to do everything they can to ensure early construction of the Waterway, linked to M1, A421, East-West rail and new housing developments
Lobbying partner organisations, landowners and developers to work productively together, under national leadership
Keeping the project in the public eye, so that plenty of positive media attention is paid to it and partners
For details see the Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterways Trust: 2004 Workplan.
In the second half of 2003, B&MK; members undertook the following actions around the Trust's four key objectives:
There have been about 30 presentations this year to around 1200 people, making an overall total (since 2001) of 80 presentations to well over 2000 people. Exhibitions continue to be held at festivals, at libraries and other places where we can contact the public. If you want a talk given at an organisation you are involved in please contact John and Sally Gunning on 01234 305925. Contact the secretary if you know of events we should be represented at.
A leaflet guide for walkers, cyclists, and drivers is in development and expected to be available by summer 2004.
A copy of a CD about the proposals will be given free of charge to members attending the AGM. If you are unable to attend the AGM but wish to have a CD sent to you, then please contact the secretary who will arrange to have one sent to you. A donation of £3 to cover postage and packing would be appreciated.
Groups have been developed in Bedford (contact John Hodgson on 01234 344884) and Milton Keynes (contact Vernon Draper on 01908 312239). Activities are decided by the groups but include leaflet distribution, local exhibitions, lobbying local councillors and planners and publicising what the canal could mean for our communities.
We hope to organise a first meeting in the Marston Vale area between MK and Bedford during March - please contact the secretary, Marilyn Leask on 01234 401 922 or by email on marilyn.leask@ntlworld.com
To be fully informed about the structure and plans for the canal, read the user vision which is accessed through the front page of the website www.b-mkwaterway.org.uk
If you've got ideas on what the Waterway should be like, please contact James Griffin 01525 372355 james@canalholidays.co.uk to give him your thoughts to add to the User Vision.
Working with local schools and colleges is one of the things we hope to do in 2004. If you are interested in being involved, please contact Marilyn Leask on 01234 401 922 or by email on marilyn.leask@ntlworld.com.
The Bedford to Bletchley train passes over |
There is a real commercial enthusiasm for the Waterway, from 21st Century industries concerned with tourism, leisure, communications and the environment. There will be construction work, not just for the canal, but for waterside housing and leisure-related business developments such as marinas, restaurants. Tourism could grow substantially, bringing revenues along the whole length of the route and into East Anglia. The Waterway will deliver freight and water supplies, when and where they're needed, while towpath fibre-optic cable will carry data nationwide. New work and leisure opportunities will ensure good use of the nearby east-west rail link.
The project research into uplift in property prices has been published. It's good news because it confirms that, in places which local authorities allocate for development along the route, development will raise extra income that can help to fund the building of the Waterway.
For a summary of the study in pdf format, click here.
The vision is becoming more defined as work continues, for example more information on the routes and public reaction to the proposals - see the Routes and News pages for more details.
The Trust gives talks on the waterway to interested groups - see our Talks Schedule.
One of the things that the Trust thinks the waterway could provide is "examples of the best in 21st century engineering, design and landscaping". An illustration of this type of benefit can be seen in the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland. Another benefit is "a new Fenland cruising ring" which can be seen on the East England Waterways Map .
© 2004 Bedford & Milton
Keynes Waterway Trust
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