A fresh Senedd cross-party group dedicated to canals and inland waterways convened for the first time, assembling Members of the Senedd alongside representatives from various stakeholder groups across Wales.
The inaugural session occurred in Cardiff on Tuesday 13 October.
Lynne Neagle MS presides over the group, which brings together participants from environmental bodies, navigation bodies, local authorities and community organisations sharing an interest in Welsh waterway development.
The group was established to elevate the standing of canals within Wales’s national infrastructure framework and to contribute to conversations regarding water resources, health and wellbeing, historical heritage, tourism, transportation and educational opportunities.
Additionally, the group aims to demonstrate how waterways contribute to biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation and water resource management.
Glandŵr Cymru, operating as the Canal and River Trust in Wales, serves as the secretariat providing support and guidance to the group.
The charitable organisation maintains stewardship over 76 miles of Welsh waterways as part of an extensive 2,000-mile network spanning England and Wales, having released a fresh prospectus outlining the future of canals in Wales during September.
Ben Cottam, who serves as the Wales director for Glandŵr Cymru, stated that the establishment of this cross-party group represents a significant development in illustrating the contribution waterways provide to Wales’s economic activity, local communities, natural environment and water security.
He explained that the initial gathering enabled participants to pinpoint developing priorities and examine how inland waterways might assume a more prominent position within national policy deliberations.
The group intends to hold sessions throughout the year, uniting Members of the Senedd with stakeholders to address common concerns.
By concentrating on four separate areas of Wales, the initiative seeks to bridge local waterway matters with broader policy and funding conversations.
He noted that the organisation had already experienced the advantages of productive engagement with government, particularly regarding assistance secured for guaranteeing the future water supply to the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal during 2025.
Given that waterways link communities throughout the nation, the organisation anticipates collaborative efforts with the group to advocate for their significance and unlock additional advantages for Wales.
Lynne Neagle, representing Sir Fynwy Torfaen in the Senedd, expressed enthusiasm about the prospect this cross-party grouping affords Members of the Senedd to conduct an in-depth examination of the difficulties confronting canals throughout Wales.
She indicated that through adopting a geographical approach while maintaining the capacity to draw upon expertise at the national scale, meaningful progress could be achieved.
Glandŵr Cymru maintains operational responsibility for four canals situated within Wales: the Llangollen Canal positioned in the northern region, the Montgomery Canal located in central Wales, alongside the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal and Swansea Canal both situated in the southern portion of the country.
Among these four waterways, two traverse locations designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a category that includes the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.