| Topic: | Re:Brentford Waterways | |
| Posted by: | Anthony Waller | |
| Date/Time: | 21/01/10 08:41:00 |
| Seems to be something of a huge contradiction going on here. Over in East London, a certain large project involves massive regeneration and refurbishment of the canal network. Costing millions, this is under the complete assurance from the PLA, B.W, TfL and just about any other authority that this is going to return the canals to commercial as well as touristic use. I've seen it and what is being done is fantastic. Right down to new locks and even new vessels for haulage. Some very interesting stuff here as well as some superb images. Such a shame that yet again the recommendations of an expert consultant were instigated, (probably to justify the fee). Banishing houseboats was wrong, both on the canal and the Thames. There were loads from Teddington to Vauxhall. Admittedly, they were quite ramshackle but then so was much of the terraced victorian housing at that time. No so now. It would have been far better to have had strict rules on presentation and order of houseboats (like a sort of conservation area arrangement) rather than pricing residents out and removing the facility. Here in Brentford at the head of the Grand Union canal, the present situation could not be any more opposing. So, if it is the correct policy for the Olympic site and it's 'legacy' future thus justifying works of an unprecedented nature, with an attitude of can do in abundance, why are the very same authorities so silent, uncommitted and negative when it comes to this end of the canal network? After all it can only work if the entire network functions, not bits of it. |