The Conservatives could close canals!

Waterways News Snippets

•  Canals at risk in Tory sell off plan

In the Guardian this morning. 

Today the Torys are saying that they “would use the proceeds of the sell-off to repay national debt. A spokesman said this would cut debt repayments by some £20m annually” 

The other day the Torys were saying “So we will uses the sale of these assets (5.1 billion) to pay for voluntary redundancies in the civil service” February 9th

Remains to be seen if they get power this time which course they take!!

This is awful news… According to Robin Evans, chief executive of  BWB the property that the Torys want to sell off produce £25M of annual income for the waterways.. I agree with him that the Government are highly unlikely to compensate by way of higher grants.  They have already cut grants in the last two years.

Our licence fees will certainly increase, on top of that is the threat of the concession we get on our red diesel being withdrawn.. This will seriously effect our enjoyment of our retirement here on the waterways.