I was delighted to be asked to speak at the Canal and River Trust Annual Public Meeting about the improvements we have made to the 15 miles of canal network that pass through Stoke-on-Trent. You can find my speech here, and further details of the event below.
STOKE ON TRENT CANAL IMPROVEMENTS CELEBRATED AT MIDLANDS WATERWAY EVENT
Delegates from across the Midlands have heard how Stoke on Trent’s formerly industrial canals are playing a vital role in modern life, providing sustainable transport routes, boosting tourism and helping local people lead happier and healthier lives.
The Annual Public Meeting of the Canal & River Trust’s West Midlands Regional Advisory Board, which took place at Birmingham Council House on Thursday 10 January, heard how recent improvements to the city’s historic canals are bringing real benefits for local communities.
Speaking at the meeting Cllr Abi Brown, deputy leader of Stoke on Trent City Council, celebrated the city’s rich canal heritage and emphasised the important role that its waterways continue to play today more than 200 years after they were built.
The meeting heard how the City Council and the Canal & River Trust are working together on a major £1.5 million project to enhance 15 miles of the city’s canals. Plans include towpath resurfacing, improving access points and signage and installing almost five miles of solar lighting. The project also includes community initiatives as well as improvements to some of the historic buildings and green spaces alongside the city’s canals.
The meeting was attended by local authorities, healthcare bodies, boating organisations and community groups from across the Trust’s West Midlands region - which covers Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Birmingham & the Black Country and North Wales.
Attendees heard about how the Trust, the waterways and wellbeing charity that cares for 2,000 miles of canals and rivers in England and Wales, is working with local partners, community groups and volunteers to improve waterways for everybody. They also learned more about how the region’s formerly industrial waterways, whose towpaths are free to use, can today help to improve the health and wellbeing of the millions of people living and working alongside them.
John Hudson, chair of the Canal & River Trust’s West Midlands Advisory Board, said: “It was fantastic to welcome representatives of organisations from across the region, to celebrate the importance of our local waterways.
“These waterways remain full of life and continue to play a vital role in our daily lives. On the doorsteps of so many people here in the West Midlands they offer endless opportunities for tackling some of the health and wellbeing challenges we face in the region.
“We look forward to working with even more people from across the West Midlands to realise the full potential of our amazing waterways.”
Cllr Abi Brown, deputy leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “We’re fortunate to have a fantastic canal network in Stoke-on-Trent. They have provided the backdrop to our city for hundreds of years and moving forward, we have ambitions to reinvigorate their role in the modern day.
“In partnership with the Canal & River Trust, we are working on a £1.5 million project which will see 15 miles of the city’s canals made more friendly and attractive to users. The work has already seen lighting, signage and access points improved with more projects to come.
“As a council, we recognise the potential that canals have to boost the economy, improve health and wellbeing and offer sustainable transport links. We are committed to unlocking their real value and we see canals as playing a big part in our drive to create a city we can all be proud of."
To find out more about the work of the Canal & River Trust, including how you can support through volunteering or making a donation, go to www.canalrivertrust.org.uk
