Canal users rally against funding cuts
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Inland Waterways
Article Date: 2007-03-07
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Boaters have rallied together in Peterborough to protest against the government's funding cuts to the country's inland waterways.
Under the town bridge over the River Nene, boats and barges came to a standstill as canal-users drew attention to their discontent towards the government's plan to reduce the amount of money given to British Waterways, reports the Peterborough Evening Telegraph.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' (Defra) cuts are estimated to be worth a total of seven million over two years and could lead to a rapid disintegration of the waterway network.
Jim Shead, from lobby group Inland Waterways Associations (IWA) Peterborough branch, told the local paper: "It was a good turnout, especially considering it is still the winter. The boats caught the attention of shoppers crossing the town bridge.
"The whole system is very valuable. You can get to Bristol in the west and Ripon in the north using the network of waterways from Peterborough."
The IWA has campaigned against the cuts since they were announced last year and recently announced that it would be holding a campaign rally on the Montgomery Canal on the Anglo-Welsh border between August 30th and September 7th next year.
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