Subject: Friends of Regent's Canal - Important Follow-up from Meeting on 1st June


Dear Friends,

As you may have already heard, our meeting on 1st June was very well-attended and it took the form of a series of talks rather than committee-style discussions on previous minutes, etc. This explains why I have not sent any minutes, but I do intend to provide a summary of the meeting in time for the next meeting in September.

Meanwhile, you will find a short article on this meeting (in the Islington Tribune) if you click on this link:
http://www.islingtontribune.com/news/2011/jun/gerald-heward-%E2%80%98-regent%E2%80%99s-canal-wasted-freight-moving-asset%E2%80%99

I have made it my top priority to facilitate our responses to the DEFRA consultation (on moving BW to a charity), with specific emphasis on the future of commercial freight. This has included raising public awareness, submitting my own personal response and, of course, listening to other people's comments on the subject.

Please click on this link to see a letter that was published in yesterday's Islington Tribune:
http://www.islingtontribune.com/letters/2011/jun/go-flow-switch-freight-canals

...and please click on this link to see an open letter that I sent to DEFRA a few days ago:
http://friendsofregentscanal.org/features/DEFRA/open-letter-20110623.html

Some of you will have already submitted your own responses. If so, you can ignore the rest of this e-mail.
However, if you would like to take part in this consultation (which ends on 30th June) then please visit this page for guidance:-
http://friendsofregentscanal.org/features/DEFRA/defra_consultation_20110630.html

If you have very limited time to go through the consultation documentation, yet if you agree broadly with my comments, then you can simply send an e-mail to NWCresponses@defra.gsi.gov.uk with subject "Responses to DEFRA consultation on waterways charity" and tell them that you agree with the contents of the above articles/letters. Feel free to "CC" your response to friendsregentscanal@gmail.com. Please add any comments or examples of your own and, if appropriate, mention your connection with the canal (or indeed with the roads).

One final note. This is definitely not an anti-motorist campaign. I would expect 99% of motorists to be in favour of any scheme that liberates the roads from unwarranted HGV usage.

Best wishes,

Ian Shacklock
Chair, Friends of Regent's Canal