Bad News for the Wiggly Wyrley

The Great Wyrley and Essington Canal is an important leisure facility in Wednesfield. It is both an active walk way for leisure strollers, joggers and a valuable amenity for a number of activities including bird-watching and wildlife watchers.

Councillor Phil Bateman said " Anglers are very often seen enjoying their sport when they can fish, when the weed is not clogging the waterway.

I have been asking BWB to deal with this American Water Weed, Azolla and I had high hopes very early on in our exchange of correspondence that we would see this weed banished from Wednesfield.

Sadly I am now pretty sure of the fact that this weed is going to clog the network up for a longer period than originally suggested. Mr Roger Herrington of BWB has updated me on the situation and I reproduce his comments in full for readers of Phil Bateman-on-line.

“Dear Councillor Bateman, I thank you for your interest
in the Wyrley & Essington Canal and welcome your observations and your constituants. I am very pleased that many of them use the system for
recreational purposes and are concerned about it.
As was explained in previous correspondence the Azola on this Canal is just one area of infestation and one of a number of differing types we have to deal with. Given the best will in the World it will be a fairly long period of time before
all areas are dealt with effectively. The high growth rate of these weeds is somewhat remenicent of 'painting the Forth Bridge! As i'm sure you are aware Canals have differing designations affecting our statute obligations. Namely
'Remainder' requiring British Waterways to ensure water passes down
this system only. 'Cruiseway' requiring maintenance to enable craft to navigate along the Canal. 'Commercial' as above but to a much more stringent regime.
In our case we have no 'Commercial' canals in this district only 'Remainder and Cruiseway'. Given our statute duties as outlined above Cruiseways must take a
higher priority and will have their weed problems addressed first.
Growth rate of the weed is dependant upon weather and other factors that
impact on the effectiveness and speed of the maintenance regime.

Seeing as the Wyrley & Essington is designated 'Remainder' raises two
issues. It will fall lower down the maintenance regime and should
technically only be maintained to ensure water passes along it.

We do understand that many local people are unaware of these issues and
would wish the system maintained to a higher level. To this end we work
with Local Authorities and other partners to attract additional 3rd
party moneys which has enabled standards to be improved over and above
statute duty levels. Successful schemes throughout Walsall's area on the
W&E Canal have been implimented over the last few years improving towing
paths, access points, and disabled facilities.

We will continue to do our upmost to improve the Wyrley & Essington but
ultimately are limited by a combination of statute, funding and an
effective/efficient means of dealing with the offending problem. It is
almost impossible for me to give a specific time when the W&E is likely
to have its weed problem addressed given the above circumstances.

We will continue to develop and research more efficient methods of
dealing with the weed in the hope we can ultimately contain & erradicate
the problem once and for all.
I apologise for the length of my response but would like you to be
fully appraised of the current situation.
Yours Sincerely Roger Herrington

I am pleased that Mr Herrington has written a long and detailed response, even though my optimsm drowned in every sentance that he offered as explanation. I am still keen to see some action. As the BWB points out this stretch of canal is used by disabled anglers, they are being denied this facility by this weed. I shall explore other ways of ensuring action is taken.

In the meantime I shall be approaching Mr Herrington again about the other part of my correspondence and that is the litter and garbage that is on the tow-pathand surrounds and ask what is being done to ensure that this eyesore is removed espaecially the plastic bags that hang from the shrubs."