CAMPAIGNERS fought for years to get the Huddersfield Narrow Canal restored and re-opened.
And there was much celebrating when their efforts finally paid off and the canal running through the Colne Valley and beneath the Pennines was available again for navigation.
But the fight has never ended and the salutary tale of boater Bob Watson is one that should be read and digested closely.
He travelled the length of the country and found the canal network a very pleasant experience – until he reached the Huddersfield canal. There he was confronted by stretches made almost impassable with silt, long pounds filled with rubbish and litter, and local gates sadly in need of maintenance or repair.
His concerns have, quite rightly, brought an apology from the Canal and River Trust who took over from British waterways in looking after the nation’s network. But it is action not words that is needed to make the canal the attraction it should be.
