Canal Action Call

I am still receiving questions about the water weed that is in the Great Wyrley and Essington canal. The canal appears to be a very important leisure facility in Wednesfield, and there is an awful lot of comment about the weed, and the tow-path.

Councillor Phil Bateman said “I am very pleased to receive comments about the canal. I know that I value it as a leisure facility. The walks are nice along the tow path, and I enjoy bird watching. I know it is well used by anglers, and it was they who first drew my attention to the infestation of Azolla the American water weed.

What I had not recognised was that it was so popular with a whole range of people crossing age groups.

I shall be contacting British Waterways again as they have said; “Traditionally winter time is the period when the system is closed for our major works programmes to be implemented therefore any actions needed to address the weed issues will commence in Spring /early Summer as the main canal system opens for business once again.”

Now my constituents are also interested in seeing not only the weed eradicated but they have asked about the responsibility concerning.

• Litter and rubbish on the immediate tow-path
• Plastic bags and other debris in the shrubs & hanging from the hedges but still within the curtledge of the canal
• Flotsam and other debris in the canal itself

I will of course keep the readers up dated on the response I receive from the BWB.”