Twenty Twenty

During 2009 British Waterways held a national debate with the public, stakeholders, staff and customers about the future of the country's waterways and their role in modern Britain.

British Waterways, the last remaining part of the British Transport Commission still in public ownership, is proposing that its 200 year old waterway network is moved out of direct state control and into a new 'third sector' or trust organisation within the next 10 years.

In the last decade the waterways have experienced a remarkable renaissance, and are busier, bigger and in a better condition than for generations. However, work commissioned by British Waterways from the accounting firm KPMG, showed that the waterways are under-funded each year and suggested that a change of status could improve the organisation’s ability to raise new income.

A gradual move to the voluntary 'third' sector would not only help with this but would also allow more community involvement in the running of the waterways, and provide the right framework for another 200 years of success.

If you would like to learn more please watch our short film and read our publication, 'A Vision for the Future of Our Canals and Rivers'.

Any change of status would take up to 10 years to achieve. In the short term British Waterways is also embarking on an efficiency drive and internal restructure to redirect £10 million of annual costs into waterways maintenance. Proposals in England and Wales include the creation of 11 smaller, 'hands on' waterway units, the removal of a layer of management, the establishment of a new regeneration directorate and the creation of specialist teams.

A new map shows the proposed new waterway boundaries and their names, and British Waterways is seeking views from stakeholders, staff and customers on the precise boundaries of each waterway unit and what they should be called.