>From Hansard, 6.2.07, written answers:
Inland Waterways: Repairs and Maintenance
Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs what planned winter maintenance work and repairs British
Waterways has (a) cancelled and (b) postponed in the winter of 2007 as a
result of reductions to its grant in aid; and what the locations and value
of
these works were. [118277]
6 Feb 2007 : Column 763W
Barry Gardiner: British Waterways has made savings in the order of £5.6
million in its capital projects as a result of the reduction in its grant in
aid.
Details of these savings are provided in the following table:
Project
Saving details (£)
Rowington Embankment,
Grand Union Canal
250,000 reduced investment: Reduced
investment into refurbishment-there
will still be a winter stoppage
Shenton Embankment, Ashby
Canal
540,000 deferred: Piling works to
embankment deferred
Long Horse Bridge, River
Trent
544,000 deferred: Construction of a
new pedestrian bridge deferred to
2007-08
Ribble Link
464,000 reduced investment:
Temporary stability works to
bywash-there will still be a winter
stoppage
Trub Farm, Rochdale Canal
586,000 reduced investment:
Installation of a bridge and associated
approach road-will go ahead, however
it will be funded with alternative
money-there is a winter stoppage
currently in place
Cloughside Farm, Peak
Forest Canal
75,000 reduced investment: Rebuilding
of a section of towpath wall-there will
still be a winter stoppage
Coates Lane Retaining Wall,
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
208,000 deferred: Rebuilding a
collapsed section of wall deferred to
2007-08 with a revised, cheaper
solution
Roddlesworth Embankment,
Leeds and Liverpool Canal
300,000 deferred: Stemming of leakage
through embankment and raising the
height of the wash wall both deferred
Bridge 177a, Grand Union
Canal
174,000 deferred: Refurbishment of a
footbridge deferred to 2007-08
Stop gates, in the London
area
278,000 deferred: Projects deferred
and requirements being reviewed
Denham Culvert, Grand
Union Canal
174,000 deferred: In-depth investigation
into the integrity of the structure
deferred
Milton Keynes Culvert, Grand
Union Canal
176,000 deferred: Repairs to two
culverts deferred
River Severn Dredging
150,000 deferred: Dredging the Upper
Partings to Haw Bridge deferred
Burghfield Lock
Refurbishment, Kennet and
Avon Canal
158,000 reduced investment:
Refurbishment of lock - reduced scope
of works-there will still be a winter
stoppage
Aston Locks 9 and 11,
Birmingham and Fazeley
Canal
252,000 deferred: Refurbishment
deferred
Tividale Aqueduct, Old Main
Line
133,000 deferred: Aqueduct repairs
deferred
Vale Royal Lock, Weaver
Navigation
592,000 deferred: Refurbishment
deferred
Calverley Wood
Embankment, Leeds and
Liverpool Canal
485,000 deferred: Embankment
refurbishment deferred-reduced
scheme planned for 2007-08
Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost to British Waterways of
repairing the breach on the Brecon and Abergavenny Canal that occurred
on 17 January. [118278]
6 Feb 2007 : Column 764W
Barry Gardiner: British Waterways´ engineers have confirmed that the
failure of a culvert brought about the breach in this canal. Estimates for
the
repair costs are in the order of £500,000 and British Waterways aims to
complete the work before Easter.
Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs what the likely cost to British Waterways is of repairing
damage
to its waterways caused by the January 2007 storms; and what additional
financial assistance is planned to be provided by the Government to enable
this work to be carried out. [118279]
Barry Gardiner: British Waterways has assessed the cost to be over
£100,000 and makes provision for these types of events within its budget.
The Government provide grant in aid which reflects a range of eventualities
and look to British Waterways to manage its priorities within its overall
budget.
