Wey & Arun Canal - Jeremy Hunt Visit

Press Release

JEREMY HUNT, MP, VISITS THE WEY & ARUN CANAL.

On October 19, the day the supermarket chain, Tesco, announced plans to start transporting wine by canal, Jeremy Hunt, MP for South-West Surrey made a special VIP visit to the Wey & Arun Canal. The canal's route links the River Wey at Shalford to the River Arun near Pulborough in Sussex. The Wey & Arun Canal Trust are working to restore the whole of "London's Lost Route to the Sea".

Jeremy began his tour with a visit to the Summit Level of the canal in the Dunsfold area, just behind the Three Compasses pub, where a small boat rally had recently taken place. Here the Canal Trust have restored the section near Dunsfold Airfield (now Dunsfold Park) and restored Farnhurst Bridge in 1991. Turlough Bamber, the Wey & Arun Canal Trust's Restoration Manager, explained future plans to extend restoration from Compasses Bridge to Tickners Heath Bridge (on the road between Alfold and Dunsfold). On the other side of Tickners Heath Bridge the canal and towpath were restored in 2002.

Jeremy Hunt's next stop was at Loxwood for a short boat trip to see what a fully restored canal looks like. Local residents are proud of their canal and the fully restored 2?-mile section attracts many thousands of visitors each year. Project leader Eric Walker was on hand to explain to Jeremy Hunt how work is well advanced on the ambitious project to reinstate the crossing under the main road and extend the navigable section towards the Surrey border. The Wey & Arun Canal Trust hope that the last phase of this work will start shortly.

Jeremy commented "I congratulate the Trust on its excellent work. It is remarkable how much the Trust's volunteers have achieved, especially when you consider that nearly all the money for major restoration projects has come from private sources. I will be urging my colleagues in parliament and local government to support this exciting project, which will bring huge benefits to South-West Surrey and beyond."

Further information and photographs in the form of JPEG files can be obtained from the Wey & Arun Trust's Public Relations Officer: Sally Schupke (01483 560543): email: pr@weyandarun.co.uk

For general information on the work of the Wey and Arun Canal Trust, please telephone the Trust office on 01403 752403.

Last updated Tuesday, 30 October, 2007

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