Futuristic waterway could soon be a reality

The resurrection of the long forgotten Lancaster Canal route waterway system may be behind the Shelly Road fees.

A visionary £800 million re-development project of the city’s famous old waterways could see river taxis’ and boats floating above pedestrians in Preston city centre as early as 2012.

The project has the backing of the Canal Trust, Preston council and British Waterways, who maintain the country’s canal systems. The Preston City Link Canal Trust was founded in 2003 with the intention of restoring the Lancaster Canal. However, actually construction won’t begin until around 2009.

Currently, the terminus is in Shelley Road, in Ashton. The plans would restore the canal section to a new marina within the Maudland area, next to the Maudland building of the University of Central Lancashire.

In an interview with the Lancashire Evening Post, Lancaster Canal Trust chairman Colin Barnes, of Victoria Road, Fulwood, said: “The journey starts at Ashton Basin and follows the old route right into the city as far as Maudland Bank.”

The original aqueduct was knocked down in 1964, so a new one would have to be built over Aqueduct Street. From the duct boats would wind their way under Fylde Road to Miley Green and onto the land between Maudland Road and Cold Bath Street were hopefully the new marina will be housed.

The multimillion pound project also aims to regenerate the derelict Preston to Longridge Rail Line which architects envision to pass over the new marina via a bridge. The rail line would travel as far as Garmull Lane where it will connect with Park and Ride facilities. There are plenty of utilities within Preston to exploit in order to make this project a huge success, such as the Ribble Link and the Preston Docks.

The Lancaster Canal was originally put forward as way to link Lancaster with Wigan. The 75 mile long waterway system has a tunnel at Hincaster, Cumbria, as well as two river crossings at Lune and Ribble.

Construction first began in 1792 and by 1819 all but the duct across the Ribble has been completed. Unfortunately money ran out and a tramway was introduced as a replacement instead. That later closed in 1857.

The canal has never had to opportunity to live up to its potential, until now.

Chairman Colin Barnes found the original plans and drawings by the original canal architect John Rennie, who also built Waterloo Bridge and London Bridge, in an old sea chest, and wanted to make his vision a full reality.

He said one of the main aims of this project is to make sure people benefit from the expansion. Preston City Council believes that a water based transportation network could also help ease the high levels of congestion, especially within the city centre.

After all, having such unique concepts such as floating boats or water taxis and buses will defiantly push Preston to the forefront within the Lancashire region, as well as help put the city on the map as an upcoming area in England as a whole. That in itself would be a great boost for the local economy just from a tourism and attraction standpoint.

Just as Manchester is known for its trams, soon Preston will be renowned for its waterways.


* The historic canal drawings by John Rennie are on display for the first time in 300 years at the Lancaster’s Martime Museum.


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