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Waterway FAQs
How long will the Waterway be?
24 km from the junction with the Grand Union canal in MK to the junction with the Great Ouse at Kempston. The 6 km of the Great Ouse from Kempston into Bedford will be brought up to full boating standard.
How wide and how deep?
It will be a broad canal forming the focus feature of a Waterway Park from Milton Keynes to Bedford. The basic navigation channel will be a minimum 9 metres wide and 1.5 metres deep, but the total width will be 15 metres where possible. The bridges will have a navigable waterway width of 5 metres and air draught of 3 metres. Where space allows, the overall width of the Waterway Park will be much wider as planning space allows with paths, and leisure space and attractions and facilities on either or both sides of the water, and plantings on both sides. The current plan is to have a wide, "multi-use" path about 3m wide on one side only, and we are seeking feedback on whether this or some other layout would best meet everyone's needs. The path can be set back from the water's edge in some places, to allow anglers to pursue their hobby without obstructing the pathway.When will it be built?
This will be done in stages as funds are raised, over the coming 10-20 years. The Trust and its partners are securing the route in local plans and seeking such funds.How will the canal cross the M1?
The canal will pass under the M1 through a tunnel, using the disused Cattle Creep (20 ft wide and 20 ft high) under the M1 just south of Junction 13 and just north of the Bletchley to Bedford railway tunnel. Negotiations with the Highways Agency have led to the Agency giving a memorandum of understanding that the planned modifications of Junction 13 will not preclude this solution.
January 2008
Waterway makes it into the plans!
The preferred route of the Bedford to Milton Keynes Waterway has been included in the latest land use plans drawn up by Mid Bedfordshire District Council. Known as the Local Development Framework the inclusion in the plans safeguards the route for the future and planning applications for new development will not be permitted to prejudice the future of the proposal.
The Waterway is planned to go underneath the M1 via an existing “cattle creep” and over Brogborough Hill via what will constitute an innovative, high profile engineering attraction akin to (but significantly different from) the Falkirk Wheel), and across the Marston Vale through to the River Great Ouse in Kempston. Linking Milton Keynes and Bedford and the Grand Union Canal with the Eastern waterways via a series of waterway parks, it will create a permanent green/blue corridor through the heart of the growth area, enhancing and preserving the best of the natural environment en route.
November 2007
Milton Keynes Council re-affirms support for the B&MK
Following the disappointment over not being awarded our BIG Lottery bid, Milton Keynes Council passed unanimously the following resolutions on 13th November 2007:-
- That this Council recognises the importance of the Bedford Milton Keynes waterway project to the continuing development of the City and the surrounding region.
- That the Council congratulates all those who have worked so hard to get the project to where it is now and resolves that the Chief Executive should continue to work with our partners, stakeholders and other interested parties to turn this aspiration into a reality.
- That the Council commiserates with the Project Team in not getting onto the final shortlist for the Big Lottery Fund, and agrees to continue to support the project despite this setback.
Cllr Chris Williams, who represents the Council on the B&MK Partnership, commended the 'infectious enthusiasm' of all the advocates of the project.
October 2007
Government Support for the Waterway
The Department for Communities and Local Government are supporting the project for a new waterway between Bedford and Milton Keynes by providing a Project Officer on an eighteen month secondment to push forward the scheme for a Bedford and a Marston Waterway Park. The Project Officer is Richard Woods who is based at County Hall, Bedford. The appointment is also co-funded by Bedfordshire County Council and the B&MK Waterway Trust.
Commenting on his appointment, Richard Woods said:
"I am excited to be working on this project. The Waterway Parks will be of great benefit to Bedford and the Marston Vale both economically in terms of creating jobs and encouraging tourism by widening the access to the countryside, but also environmentally by creating a continuous green corridor as well as a waterway from Bedford to Milton Keynes. This will encourage new wild life habitats, footpaths, and cycleway in partnership with SUSTRANS, and other forms of environmentally friendly leisure pursuits."
Richard's main objectives will be:
- to secure the route in all relevant local and regional plans
- develop a strategy to secure the land
- lead the development of studies which will result in a successful
planning application
Milton Keynes Waterway Park - Lottery bid unsuccessful, but support for Milton Keynes Waterway Park remains solid
The Big Lottery Bid was for the construction of the first 6km Milton Keynes section of the Bedford to Milton Keynes Waterway running from the Grand Union Canal via Willen Lake, through Broughton Brook Linear Park into the Eastern Expansion Area. As the Milton Keynes arm of the Grand Union Canal it is a stand-alone project known as the Milton Keynes Waterway Park. The Trust issued the Press Release below on 23 October. Meanwhile other funding will be sought and work on securing the route from the M1 to Bedford is progressing.
Lottery Decision Won't Stop New Waterway
Despite the disappointment of not winning a £25million lottery grant, the organisations backing the proposed Milton Keynes Waterway Park vowed to continue the project.
Speaking on behalf of the BMK Waterway Trust, Jane Wolfson (Project Director) said: "We may not have won the £25million grant for the construction of the waterway, but the £250,000 we were awarded earlier, plus the additional money and work in kind that contributed to the matched income, has allowed us to obtain planning permission, work up detailed route plans, and do the required studies that we need in order to start the construction of the waterway. This has allowed us to significantly progress the waterway during the past year. We will be continuing with the waterway project and will be seeking alternative funding."
Councillor Chris Williams, MK Council Cabinet Member for Transport and Strategic Planning said: "Of course it is very dissapointing that the Waterway Park did not win a lottery grant - but it is included in the Council's Local Plan, and the Council will continue to support the project."
John Bint, Interim Chief Exec for the Waterway Park, adds "Everyone involved is committed to overcoming this setback because we believe the benefits of the project are worth the effort." John is also Ward Councillor for much of the project's intended route.
September 2007
B&MK and the East of England Water Related Sport and Recreation Strategy
The Environment Agency (EA) has been asked by DEFRA to produce a Water Related Sport and Recreation Strategy for the East of England. The B&MK participated on May 1st in one of the consultation workshops run by the University of Brighton for the EA. There was great support by other participants for the B&MK. Our poster and further details of this study may be viewed now on the Water Recreation Strategy Website at http://www.brighton.ac.uk/waterrecreation/ then follow the links workshop posters; England posters and so B&MK.
August 2007
You've Walked the Walk now View the Video
Want to see what the future holds then watch this video presentation which was developed especially for the Big Lottery bid. It features Kevin Whatley who you will proably recognise from Auf Wiedersehen Pet, Inspector Morse and many other things.
