Heritage transport links welcome grants announced in the budget
Volunteers involved in heritage transport schemes that have won funding in the Budget say they are thrilled that their bids for support have been successful.
The Montgomery Canal won a £15.4 million grant towards the restoration of the dry section of the waterway so that it can eventually be reconnected to the national network, while the Cambrian Railway has been awarded £50,000 for drawing up a business case and feasibility study to re-open the railway between Gobowen and the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Hospital and then onto Oswestry.
The canal grant will be invested in restoring navigation to most of a 4.4-mile section of the canal from the English border at Llanymynech to Arddleen, near Welshpool.
Montgomery Canal Partnership’s chair John Dodwell and Michael Limbrey, Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust chairman, were delighted with the news thanking Powys County Council, the Canal and Rivers Trust and town councils as well as MP Craig Williams and Russell George, Member of the Senedd for Montgomeryshire.
“The canal’s restoration will be of enormous benefit to the community. As there will no doubt be terms and conditions attached to the £15.4m grant, the detailed hard work starts now," Mr Dodwell said.
Mr Limbrey said: “It’s absolutely brilliant news. Having been working to revive the canal into Mid Wales for so many years, this is a great step forward to restoring it to the national network.”
Graham Breeze, a Powys county councillor for Welshpool Llanerchydol Ward, described the announcement as the best possible news for Welshpool.
He said: “Reopening the canal will put Welshpool firmly back on the UK canal network map and will bring tourists flooding into the area with huge economic benefits."
The feasibility study for the Cambrian Rail Line will look at restoring the railway between the mainline at Gobowen to Oswestry in two stages.
Roger Date, from Cambrian Railway, said volunteers are the railway were delighted that the project had been seen as worthy of support.
He said: "The project is being promoted in two phases, with the first phase connecting Gobowen to Park Hall Halt, adjacent to the Orthopaedic Hospital 'oven ready' with all the land owned by Cambrian Heritage Railway and the transport and works order in place.
"The second phase, extending onwards to Oswestry, is a total distance of 2.4 miles. Feasibility studies will assist with delivering a business case for the project including the solutions for infrastructure works to pass beneath the A5 at Pentre Clywydd. It is eminently doable.
"We would like to acknowledge the support of numerous partners who have assisted with the application and contributed the required match funding including the Shrewsbury Chester Rail Partnership, Pre-Metro Operations and Oswestry BID."
