Canal charity proposes removal of bins along towpath

The charity says it is faced with soaring costs and the removal of 12 bins will help it save money. Although it was unable to say which bins it proposes to remove, the charity says it has written to North Yorkshire Council seeking funding.

A spokesperson for the Canal and River Trust said: “We have written to local authorities across our Yorkshire and North East region advising of our intention to remove many bins from our towpaths.

“As a charity, the trust is faced with soaring costs of looking after the region’s ageing canals at a time when available funding is stretched – notably the continuing real-terms decline in funding from government.

“We need to prioritise maintaining the core fabric of the waterways, including the thousands of locks, bridges, aqueducts and other historic structures that make up the canal network, so that we can continue to provide free access to our towpaths for millions of people and maintain the integrity of the infrastructure to keep communities safe.

“The decision to remove our bins will save much needed money that will help pay for a long list of vital repairs.

“The trust has many miles of canal where we don’t provide litter bins, including many that have achieved Green Flag Award status.

“Along these canals today, and in future where bins have to be removed, we are asking people who come to enjoy our free-to-visit waterways to follow the Countryside Code and take their litter back with them to be recycled where possible or disposed of responsibly.

“In doing so, they will be helping to protect the environment and helping our charity save vital money so we can keep the canals open.

“Where there are proposals to remove bins, we are first seeking local funding options to adequately service the bins and hope that local partners will step up to help.”

Last year the trust says it spent £1.4 million nationally emptying bins and clearing fly tipping from the canals.

North Yorkshire County Council’s corporate director for business and environmental services, Karl Battersby, said: “We fully understand the financial pressures facing the Canal and River Trust.

“We have suggested that it consider establishing volunteer litter picks to make sure that the environment remains attractive and that it may want to approach parish councils to explore the possibility of organising those.

“As always, we urge anyone using the canalside to take their rubbish home with them and dispose of it responsibly.”