Canal needs Government support, says MP

Rochdale's MP Paul Rowen has spoken out about the failure of the Government to provide long overdue funding for Rochdale Canal.

In a Westminster debate, Mr Rowen also called on the Government to put pressure on United Utilities Water over his concerns of a severe water shortage in the canal.

Rochdale canal was reopened soon after the millennium thanks to the hard work of local volunteers and Frances Done, former Chief Executive of Rochdale Council but there is still £11million of outstanding work to be done.

Mr Rowen said: "Although the millennium grant from the Lottery Fund enabled the canal to be opened it was always expected that further work would be needed. Rochdale, Oldham, Manchester and Calderdale local authorities are currently paying annual maintenance fees towards the upkeep of the canal. However, additional funding is needed and DEFRA's cuts to British Waterways funding has put this at risk."

The MP also believes that the canal is suffering a water shortage.

Rochdale canal lacks its own water supply as those reservoirs built to supply the canal are owned and controlled by United Utilities who are refusing the let British Waterways use the reservoir at Blackstone Edge to supply the canal with water, said Mr Rowen. "Given the number of locks between Hebden Bridge and Littleborough, this has meant that on occasion the canal has been forced to close due to lack of water."

Mr Rowen has invited the new Minister for Waterways Huw Irranca-Davies MP to visit Rochdale to see first hand the restoration that has taken place right from the heart of Manchester into the Pennines.

He said: "More importantly, I also want to highlight to him the real need for the £11 million funding and the issues we have regarding the water supply."