Swansea Canal Sparkles After Spring Clean
13 April 2006
British Waterways and Swansea Canal Society recently organised a spring cleaning session along the Swansea Canal to improve the canalside environment in readiness for the new visitor season.
As part of Towpath Tidy , a national clean-up initiative, British Waterways staff from across South Wales and almost forty volunteers, from Swansea Canal Society, Clydach Rainbows, Clydach Development Trust, Clydach Cycling Club and The Carpenters Arms, litterpicked 5½ miles (9 km) of towpath from Ynysmeudwy to Clydach.
The rubbish found alongside the canal was mainly small items, particularly cans, bottles and food packaging, but the quantity collected was enough to fill two skips.
British Waterways Wales & Border Counties Service Manager Susan Lewis said the big clean-up has set the scene for the forthcoming season.
"This work will benefit not only visitors to the area but also the local communities around the Swansea canal, and the wildlife along the waterway,"commented Ms Lewis.
"Improvements to the canal environment are a key aspect of our visitor strategy as well as an integral part of our role in conserving the natural appearance and balance of our waterways,"said Ms Lewis.
"The part played by waterway volunteer groups, such as the Swansea Canal Society, in the successful delivery of all our spring clean projects can't be overstated,"she added.
The contribution from volunteers during Towpath Tidy is in addition to more than £100 million invested by British Waterways each year improving the UK 's waterways. Regular work includes dredging canal channels, repairing heritage buildings and bridges, renewing lock gates, managing trees and maintaining towpaths.
ends
For more information contact:
Susan Lewis, Wales and Border Counties Service Manager on 01606 723810 and 07917 327855
or
Kevin Phillips, Wales and Border Counties Waterway Supervisor on 01873 832051 and 07801 049840.
EDITOR'S NOTES:
Photo attached: "(From left to right) British Waterways staff Danzey Morris, Mark Prosser, Kevin Phillips, Alan Gardner, Robert Jones and David Coe turn their hands to litterpicking the Swansea Canal towpath, as part of the national Towpath Tidy initiative."For a high-res file of this photograph please call Deborah Haylock 01873 858187 or 07929 268357.
British Waterways is responsible for a 2,000 mile canal and river network in England , Wales and Scotland , and has been the catalyst for over £2 billion of waterside regeneration and the creation of 20,000 jobs over the last decade. British Waterways is a public corporation responsible to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). All its income is reinvested in improving the waterways in its care. British Waterways works in partnership with public, private and voluntary organisations to develop and improve the waterways in a sustainable manner for the benefit of everyone.
The Swansea Canal as constructed in 1794-98 as one of the major South Wales waterways during the economic boom of the Industrial Revolution. Built primarily for the movement of coal, the canal commenced at Swansea and terminated at Abercraf, and was originally 16 miles long with 36 locks. At present two sections of the canal, totalling 5½ miles, remain in use for leisure activities: from Clydach to Trebanos and from Pontardawe to Ynysmeudwy.
Formed in 1981, the Swansea Canal Society aims to promote the canal as a local amenity, an educational resource and an asset for regeneration. This dedicated group of volunteers undertakes regular work along the Swansea Canal. They will be litterpicking again on Sunday 13 th August at 10.30am, meeting at the Castle Hotel, Pontardawe.
Waterscape.com promotes and provides information on all waterways in the UK, including rivers, canals, lakes and reservoirs, working in conjunction with the Environment Agency, The Broads Authority and British Waterways. It is also partnering with boat hire companies, holiday cottage operators and other waterside businesses whose products and services are available through the website www.waterscape.com