Canals must be allowed to sustain themselves

I have commented before on the detrimental effect on British Waterways of the failure of the English farm-payments scheme. Now, according to Sharon Bowles MEP, there is a threat to another income stream for national waterways:

"Gordon Brown's £16bn sell off, which is expected to include British Waterways' waterside property portfolio, signals a desperate attempt by the Government to reduce £800bn of national debt.

"Profit from the waterside property is vital to fund the maintenance and upkeep of a 2,200 mile network of canals that British Waterways manages throughout the UK. Selling the properties at rock bottom prices would not be in the interests of the taxpayer and would create serious long-term funding and environmental problems."