South East MEP backs move to revive inland waterways

12.13.26pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 30th Nov 2006

Sharon at a canal in the South East

South East England's canals, part of a network that once symbolised the might of Britain's industrial past, may be about to get a new lease of life thanks to a call from the European Parliament.

On Thursday (30th November) Sharon Bowles South East Liberal Democrat MEP, backed the European Parliament's wish to boost the use of rivers and canals as a method of freeing up our congested roads whilst helping to reduce green-house gas emissions.

With only 6 percent of freight traffic currently carried by inland waterways, Europe lags far behind America - where the Mississippi alone carries 12 per cent of US cargo. North-western Europe has made some progress - in the Netherlands over 40 percent of freight traffic is carried by inland shipping - but in Italy and Britain the figure is 0.1 percent.

Proposals to change this include improving access to investment finance, encouraging new technologies, modernising the network, harmonising regulations and combating the negative public image of canal and river transport. They have been welcomed by industry groups.

The European Parliament has already approved an action plan to ease congestion and delays across the European transport system by encouraging a switch to the often-neglected waterborne freight sector, not least for environmental reasons.

Sharon Bowles says: "With a fleet of 11,000 vessels and a capacity equaling 10,000 trains and 440,000 trucks, inland waterways can make transport in Europe more efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly."

"There is enough space on Europe's 36,000 kilometres of waterways to accommodate much of the one-third growth in freight traffic forecast by 2015".

"South East England would see a real benefit from this move, with our canals and rivers relieving some of the burden currently experienced by our roads, whilst making a real difference to the environment."

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