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ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF RECREATIONAL WATERWAYS – UK EXPERIENCE Martin Clarke – Director

Discover the economic advantages of revitalizing recreational waterways in the UK. Learn about the transformation of declining commercial canals into successful recreational destinations and the challenges of capturing their benefits. Find out how benefits can be properly measured and valued.

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ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF RECREATIONAL WATERWAYS – UK EXPERIENCE Martin Clarke – Director

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  1. ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF RECREATIONAL WATERWAYS – UK EXPERIENCE Martin Clarke – Director Jacobs Engineering

  2. My background • Civil engineer • Worked for British Waterways as project manager for new recreational canal works • Main focus was getting funding from UK government and EU because of economic benefits • Now a consultant working for British Waterways and UK government • PIANC British National Committee

  3. Decline of commercial canals • Decline following transfer to rail network • By 1960’s many canals closed or derelict • Recreational use continued • Strong voluntary sector campaigned for restoration • 1980’s saw focus on urban renewal, eg London docklands

  4. Delivery of Restoration By 2002 in North West of England: • Huddersfield Canal • Rochdale Canal • Ribble Link • Anderton Boat Lift Total value over £80M

  5. Birmingham – more canals than Venice !

  6. LIVERPOOL CANAL LINK – challenges of capturing benefits

  7. Summary of Annual Benefits • 200,000 extra visitors to waterfront spending £1.9m • 4,500 boat movements including private, hire, trips, restaurants • £2.2m extra spend on boating related activities • 187 person years temporary construction work • 173 net additional local jobs • £3.3m net additional gross value added • Increase in property prices through canal corridorup to 20% • Above based on study by Amion, though likely to be increased • The above is why we got public funding

  8. Benefits • British waterways receives no money, they have a maintenance liability • Benefits are all indirect – private businesses, local taxes, local people • How can we measure this properly ?

  9. Benefits valuation framework • Jacobs research for UK government • Well being ( welfare ) benefits – what would people pay, health • Economic benefits – jobs, spend • Only measures benefits of making changes ( marginal benefits )

  10. Other social benefits • How communities think about their cityand their local area • How they behave and their attitude to society • What are the benefits ? • Anti-social behaviour and crime reduction • Increased social inclusion • Areas more attractive to visit, live in and work in

  11. Summary • UK canals have been transformed from declining commercial waterways • They are now very successful recreational canals • They have had a direct and indirect influence on local areas • Measuring benefits is very difficult – there is always a debate !

  12. References Benefits valuation framework - www.iwac.org.uk/reports PIANC RecCom working groups – www.pianc.org/reccomactivewg.asp My e-mail - martin.clarke@jacobs.com

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