The Wey & Arun Canal is benefiting from two generous grants from the Inland Waterways Association (IWA), a national body that campaigns for the use, maintenance and restoration of Britain's inland waterways.

Paul Roper, IWA South-East Regional Chairman of recently presented a cheque for £4,000 to the Wey & Arun Canal Trust (WACT) as a contribution towards restoring a section of the summit level near Dunsfold in Surrey. The cheque was received by members of WACT's mid-week working party, who have been carrying out clearance and maintenance work at this location.

The section of canal near the Three Compasses Inn is known as the Dunsfold cutting, thought to be the most significant piece of heavy engineering along the canal route and the source of much anguish for the original builders.

Between Compasses Bridge and the A281 at Fast Bridge, the canal is already navigable (although shallow in places) and has hosted an annual Small Boats Rally for the past few years. To the south of Compasses Bridge, as far as Tickner's Heath Road, the canal route is clear of blockages after WACT removed two causeways during the 1990s, but is heavily silted. The IWA award will allow WACT to make a start on restoring this section to fully navigable condition.

A further grant, of £2,000, has been agreed by the IWA's Restoration Committee. This will assist with funding preliminary studies on the northern section of the canal route, in the Shalford and Bramley area, where the former canal joins the River Wey. The study work includes a Flood Risk Assessment, which is now being carried out for WACT by specialist consulting engineers Water Environment Ltd of Wimbledon.

Chris Harrison, WACT Bramley Link Project Manager, said "Not only is this grant a considerable boost to the Trust's ability to finance the work, but it demonstrates that the IWA is fully supportive of the Trust's objectives of implementing the Bramley Link Project. This welcome news comes at a time when the newly published Bramley Parish Plan includes an encouraging endorsement of the Trust's proposals for the Bramley Link Project."

Further information about the Wey & Arun Canal Trust is available from the Trust's office, on 01403 752403.

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Notes for Editors

Information is available from Bill Thomson, bill_thomson@weyandarun.co.uk, 01403 210347

The Wey & Arun Canal Trust

The Wey & Arun Canal, "London's lost route to the sea" was originally opened in 1816 between the River Wey at Shalford, near Guildford, and Pallingham, near Pulborough, the head of navigation of the River Arun. It closed in 1871, due to railway competition. Since the 1970s the 23-mile waterway has been the subject of a campaign by volunteers led by the Wey & Arun Canal Trust to restore the route to navigation. Work has been undertaken in a number of locations, most notably the stretch near the Sussex/Surrey border at Loxwood. Over two miles in length, this includes five working locks, two public road crossings, an aqueduct, two farm bridges, and numerous minor works, all built or rebuilt through voluntary effort. Boat trips are available on this stretch, onboard several craft, including the 50-seater electrically-powered Wiggonholt.