Canal Towpath Use Consultation

[TF_geepsterParticipant]

The Canal and River Trust are currently consulting on how towpaths are shared to make visiting waterways more enjoyable for everyone. Their aim is to improve people’s experience of using towpaths in England and Wales by gaining a more detailed understanding of the ways towpaths are used – whether by boaters, walkers, joggers, cyclists or anglers – and to attract more visitors to regularly use and enjoy the waterways.

They are inviting people to share their views through an online survey, on anything from signage and behaviour to suggestions for access and surface improvements.

Sharing

The National Towpath Use Policy will set out their approach to managing safer sharing of towpaths including what they will do and what visitors can do. For example, it will balance the needs of people with the need to conserve and protect heritage and the environment; also how to encourage visitors to better understand the range of towpath activities, be considerate of others and make a difference to these shared spaces.

To find out more about their proposals and give your feedback please visit http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/consultations/current-consultations and make sure canal anglers have a voice in this process.

[TF_paulnewell]

I might be wrong but IMO most anglers now accept the modern trend that has taken hold of these little gems . And with huge regret I feel it’s too late for us to ever regain any semblance of tranquility while trying to enjoy our pastime . Let’s get real , they ain’t banning cyclists . Reducing the amount of boats and new marinas . The now popular belief that the nearest towpath is the canine toilet .. That will not be sorted . The netting of fish and there subsequent re housing .??? There’s much more that is wrong Poor access. Etc etc . All I see is the chance to occasionally wet a line and accept all the other users ., as people with the right to enjoy an historic leisure route . What I don’t accept are mountain bikers . long distance swimmers . Horse riders. Quad bikers . Etc etc. . To be absolutely blunt I would rather be alone !!! And there lies the real problem . It ain’t changing with some consultation survey . What we want and what they want to achieve is way off the radar . 😮

[TF_CraigH]

It would help Paul if you told them what you have just said.
I had an email off them a while back which I replied to stating some of the things you have just mentioned. They won’t take any notice on my word alone.

They also know I introduce kids to fishing, and mentioned they’d like help with this on their canals. But I stated that’s an impossible task, not only because of mountain bikes etc, but the canals round by me are rife with small Zander and little in the way of silver fish.

I have no problem sharing the canals with other users, but wish they’d give me the same respect as I show them.

[TF_paulnewell]

Respect for giving your time with kids I must also give back . Aged around 12 I spent all my weekends on the bham worcs canal spellbound catching gudgeon Perch and eventually some decent roach but I can’t help feeling the fight is unwinable These people doing the survey must have a money making theory in their agenda and that involves all the stuff that makes it crap ror angling ! Press on the suggested web and scroll down they talk of bike shelters !!!!When I was a kid the only folk who could cycle on the towpath were lock keepers or those with a licence ?? These surveyors will only see our towpaths as an ideal cycle way ! And it is isn’t it ? But they pay nothing ! 😮 Only dare fish on a canal if you love other users and have the patience of a saint . OH and no sense of smell ,! Give up it’s gone . 😎

[TF_CraigH]

But giving up on the canals isn’t doing angling any good. If they were planning cycle paths along the rivers as well, will you not say anything to them?

If us anglers used the canals more, more and more clubs would take on leasing canal lengths, and then they couldn’t ignore us with the money they’d make. It wouldn’t cost them anything to police it as that would be down to the clubs. But if something, ie cyclists are going to lose them revenue they’d have to do something about them.
It’ll take a lot more than just you and I to give them feedback. The Angling Trust may not be everybody’s cup of tea, but that’s what it’s set up to do, to speak for us. If we don’t tell them what our problems are, they can’t help us either.
You’ve been able to come on here to voice your opinion, why not let them know. Copy and pasting your text into an email won’t take a moment, and you will have done your part. Then it’s up to the rest of those that are reading this forum to do theirs, if they care about their fishing.

This thread has had 122 views, but if everybody that’s read it would get onto the Canal and River Trust, maybe they would be starting to take notice. Or are we going to let ourselves be walked over AGAIN?

[TF_paulnewell]

I do agree with the urgency to get involved but I still think that for canals it’s too late . Do you really think cycling on our towpaths can be stopped or restricted in any way . These trust people already gave it the thumbs up . So bad the bike traffic in London the match circuit finished . A sign in a tree won’t stop dog shit . No way will they curb boat numbers . They must be a massive earner . Polititions and these trustees think it’s wonderfull to cycle on the towpath . They would argue about pollution and safety . Two thoughts on canal fishing No1. Ditch pole fishing and revert to rod and line .no2. Sort permission to fish on the opposite bank !! But when you read the stuff about consulting all users , The term towpath seems to refer to paths along rivers also NOT only canal towpaths so iam suspicious the so called consultation could lead to giving themselves the nod to do their stuff along our rivers also . Lots of Tarmac is req but still worrying !! 😡

[TF_redarmy]

grew up fishing the bridgewater canal in manchester and when istarted matchfishing visited the trent and mersey shroppie and a few others.it was great fishing and a lot of the early years was without a pole rod and line with home made loaded drinking straws and caster on the far bank.but when commercials came along most people myself included thought great safe parking no idiots flying past you on mountain bikes at breakneck speed and no unsocialbles to argue with and the best one was no dog crap all over your gear when you put it down.unfortunately in my view most urban canal towpaths have been lost to the masses who unlike us and the boaters pay nothing.you cannot have a peaceful day and live in harmony with others when you are only a yard from each other.

[TF_paulnewell]

I reckon you analysed it perfect Redarmy . Just read the consultation document and it talks about all users having respect for each other . My Ass . Fishing on canals is great when . It’s froze and there’s no boats . Everyone else has gone home bar you . Those hairy types discover where the mountains are . Who pays these lovely consultants ??? 😀

[TF_Dodge]

Mountain bikers are the least of canal anglers concerns ! Parking in urban ares is and canals in urban areas are full of fish but try getting a days fishing in an urban area in a big city it is nigh upon impossible ! Luckily the country sections are solid with fish so those of us who hate commercial fisheries still have our pastime fulfilled .

[TF_paulnewell]

Skin like rhino , patience of a saint . And eyes in the back of your head !! If it works for you then great ! :rolleyes:

[TF_CraigH]

If you ain’t going to tell them, they ain’t going to know. :confused:
Isn’t this the point of the consultation? They’re giving you the opportunity to view your opinions, and you’ve nothing to lose by doing so. Or is it a case of “I’ll let someone else do it for me?”

I see the attraction of commercial fisheries, but they are not for me. Waters that are so heavily stocked that we have to have pumps on the water, and cut all the trees down to get air to the lakes to keep the fish alive, doesn’t say much about anglers caring for our fish.
Any commercial owner will tell you how much work it takes to run a commercial. It doesn’t take much especially in the warmer months to have a disaster at their fisheries.

If we don’t speak up to protect our fishing it will be lost for good.

You can email Daniel Charles at [email protected]

[TF_wightangler]

that ‘consultation’ must have ended already as all i get is a blank screen after trying several times in order to sign.

[TF_Fred Davis]

I don’t get this the urban canals are full of fish! not around our way the canals have been decimated with cormorants and east Europeans netting for the table, in fact we still hold two leagues matches on the grand union 66 peggers from berkhampstead to northchurch I might add each angler is given at least 25 yards between each peg, so plenty of space to catch, the results of this years two matches just fished were dire, Ok out of 66 anglers someone is going to draw on bream and the winning weight was 30lb after that it was dire from 8 ounces to a pound were good point scorers, in addition the anglers have to put up with mountain bikers, walkers, runners, dogs peeing up your gear because the owner is chatting to another dog owner or someone they know and hasn’t realised what their dog is doing, dog shit up a pole joint when shipping back no decent parking as it’s all pay and display or has a max time limit of 4 hours, after every match there is gear that has been broken by nutters either on bikes crashing into gear we had one runner just run straight through a pole, stay on canals you must be joking! anglers pay for the priviledge of fishing canals and are treated the same as the dog shit imo I also put my point of view in the canal survey, did they reply yes the sent me a message saying would I support the canals sharing together with other users policy, I did not respond the other users cyclists, walkers, dog walkers etc do not pay and the canal trust falls over themselves to encourage them. Canal towpaths are now just a cycle track for speed merchants.
I might add it is government policy to encourage cyclists to use the canal towpaths rather than be on the roads as it cuts the number of cycling deaths, so despite what we say it ain’t gonna change anytime soon.

[TF_CraigH]

At least you said your piece Fred

[TF_Sluicer]

I’ve said this elsewhere online already, but given that this subject is actually being debated here, I’ll repeat it.

I was invited as a committee member of our Association to a site meeting with our local CRT representative back in late 2012. Myself and another representative of our Association met the chap on a stretch of canal we lease from CRT, and we as we walked, we highlighted some things we wanted to do, as well as things that were wrong which needed sorting out for everyone – not just us as anglers. We raised the issue of dangerous access steps to the bank from a road bridge, overstaying boats, boats without permits, leaking steel towpath shuttering, invasive reeds, lack if actual access to the water, among several others which had been either mitigated or completely ignored by their predecessors at BW.

The CRT guy appeared to take each issue on board and pledged assistance in some cases. He also brought to our attention some recently-formed voluntary groups who were already working on the canal and offered to arrange an introduction for us. In the weeks & months that followed, I took an action from the committee to chase this guy and attempt to progress some of the offers he gave us. I emailed him several times, even escalated things with his line manager. Each occasion I got a reply, one or both of them backed away from everything (yes, everything) they initially offered. We actually got to the point where the action was released at committee because no (zero) progress had been made over a period of more than a year.

Our experience of the CRT has been one of immense frustration, which, had they been at least communicative, could’ve been workable. As it stands, we have no contact with the CRT other than paying for a lease. They have done absolutely nothing for anglers and I can attest to this having been initially involved with them (as described above) first hand. If I was in a position to make the decision for renewing our lease on the stretch of canal we current use, I most certainly would not renew it; I would actually be pursuing them for a rebate for the money they’ve already had from us.

[Author]

Posts