THE group, which champions the revitalisation and restoration of the UK’s navigable (and previously navigable) waterways, hosted its inaugural meeting in Parliament in November. A new chair and officers were elected.
Bill Esterson MP was appointed as its new chair, Wendy Morton MP as vice-chair, and Uma Kumaran and Lord German as co-chairs. Among the officers of the group are a number of newly elected MPs, as well as some long-standing waterway supporters.
Mr Esterson said at the time of his appointment: “It is not just boaters who make use of our waterways. Canals and rivers are a valuable resource for leisure, active travel, industry, energy, and even in the case of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal as a source for waterborne district heating.
“The tranquillity of time spent by the water, along with the wildlife that thrives around clean waterways, is truly something to be cherished and enhanced.
“All these interests can coexist, and I look forward to chairing this influential All-Party Group and highlighting, both in Parliament and beyond, the importance of waterways to our nation’s economy and environment.”
The APPG’s purpose is to unlock the environmental, social, economic, and cultural potential of the UK’s rivers and canals by boosting local economies, promoting sustainability and connecting people to nature. The Inland Waterways Association provides the secretariat for the group.
Charlie Norman, the IWA’s director of campaigns and public affairs, said: “IWA warmly welcomes Mr Esterson’s appointment. It is clear that he really grasps the importance, value and relevance of the UK’s inland waterways and the need for adequate funding.
“We look forward to working both with him and an almost entirely new slate of members over the course of this parliament.”
