The part that angers me is that £55m is already a pathetically small figure for the thousands of miles of canal and associated land that is upkept when compared to figures of £10bn+ that can be wasted on a late, overbudget NHS IT project for example.

Perhaps Nu Labour should think about saving money on consultants (by thinking for themselves) and use this money on the canals. The canal network should be regarded as a national treasure that gives opportunity to walk, cycle, boat or just sit and relax. Not only that, but canals are available to anyone who wants them.

We keep on about getting more exercise, yet the Govt. close swimming pools, build over green spaces and now want to privatise our canals?

David, wolverhampton, West Midlands

A narrow-boat trip is unique. The superb job done in revitalizing the canals is an example for any government agency looking for an example of "How To." The idea that, having done such a great job, some twit will tinker with a truly succesful program is dimwitted. Some of my most delightful memories are of a trip on the Oxford Canal. Hey--it's working...don't fix it!

Jan G. Rogers, Havana, Florida, USA

In an age when personal stress is at an all-time high, the canal system has a huge role to play in helping to promote the physical and mental wellfare of our citizens. Let us take a leaf out of France's book, where the Government is committed to maintaining AND IMPROVING the canal system. Example - the fantastic new cycle track tow-path that runs the entire length of the Canal Garonne, in south-west France. We ourselves live and work on this canal, and it is so good to see people of all ages taking healthy exercise and pleasure form the new facility.

Alasdair Wyllie, Montech, France

If you would like to see what can happen when you embrace a canal system, come to Canada and visit the Trent-Severn and Rideau Canal systems. Built to allow ships from the interior of Canada to reach the Atlantic without passing American shores, this relic is now a major tourist attraction that provides much needed revenue to rural areas.

Scott Loveland, Toronto, Canada

In the 'drought' last summer, somebody suggested using the canal network as a method for moving water from the north & west of England with its high levels of rainfall to the water-lacking south east. This method has been used for centuries in Morrocco to feed Marrakesh with water from the mountain region. The government now plans to practically pave over the south east region with no provision made for the extra demands for water resources, and yet when this seemingly sensible suggestion was put forward last summer, it was dismissed as 'ridiculous' by a minister. Why? The north will not be lacking as a result.
Common sense & politicians are far removed.

vb, London,

Job redundancies at Defra, not the body that has governed our canal system, is the way to go. I believe that within 20 years the vast majority of the canal system could (and should) become ribbons of "national parks" criss-crossing what's left of our countryside (assuming it's not all concereted over by then). Good article and I hope this subject gets the public attention it deserves before it's too late.

Dr Andy Wilkinson, Ely, Cambridgeshire

I remember a picture of the canal over a large revine with stream...water over water(Smithsoniam magazine, I think). The picture is SO british....I can't afford to travel, but, a canal trip is on the list first if I ever can. I hope they are there to do it.

g saffell, canyon lake, texas, usa

The unique feature of the inland waterway system is that (with the exception of locks) the means of transport is on the level.

The significance of that, as we enter an age when energy for other transportation systems is becoming more expensive, is that Human Powered Vehicles deliver optimum performance on the level. A cyclist on level ground travelling at 10-12 mph uses only about 60 watts of power. At higher speeds air resistance increases the amount of energy required, as does an opposing wind.

Canal towpaths in many cases could be widened to provide cheap and safe cycleways suitable for longer distance travel. It might even one day be cost effective to reduce wind or air resistance by partial glass coverage.

Opportunity to use many disused railway tracks for cycle ways in urban areas has been lost to overbuilding.

The potential of inland waterways for cheap and efficient travel as well as transport of goods should not be lost.

dr venables preller, Warminster, UK

A good friend has come over from Norway for a holiday. The big draw being a canal boat trip in the Surrey countryside. It is seen from abroad as a very British and pleasing thing. The clean up of our waterways has been a great success and a model we should take elsewhere in our country.

Jack, East Horsley, Surrey

Commercialise the canals and they are lost. We need to maintain the way it is run now - for the pleasure of eveyone.
The funds for British Waterways should not be at the whim of a badly performing body like Defra.

David Thijm, Stourbridge, UK

Canals could also supply the whole of thirsty London's water requirement from the rain-soaked North. The slowest of flows would be enough to transport the water. They are broader than any possible pipeline, and they are already built.

Joseph Bruno, London,

DEFRA are famous ( or should that be notorious) for their inabilty to organise a pay out in a rural agency. This incompetence has now spilt over into knee jerk budget cuts driven by civil servants who count but don't grow beans. The waterways of Britain are part of our natural heritage and as such should be adminstered by the National Trust.

Bob Robinson, Tarleton PRESTON, United Kingdom

Feats of engineering such as the canals (not to mention the backbreaking contribution of many thousands of workers) were a part of helping to make Britain great, and (despite the predictable and depressing cynicism against the UK these days) for it to still be the great country it is now.

For us as a nation to fail to recognise the importance of maintaining it's rich heritage properly is a truly sad state of affairs.

Wake up!

David, Aylesbury, UK

Like in Britain, the waterway network (both natural and manmade) in Belgium was considered obsolete only a decade ago. Today both the Fleish and Wallon regional governments have put prammes in palce to revive them. Both grants and investments are allocated to divert traffic from the road to the canal network and more and more distribution centres are set up at the junction of canals, railways and motor wayd. I would suggest British Waterways to come over and see for isself.

Marcel Schoeters, Antwerp, Belgium

I used to cycle from east london to the west end via the canals and the along the Thames, they are beautiful, peaceful and simply a delight to behold.

And the journey was only five minutes longer than taking the tube!

The very notion of selling off every bit of spare land to the highest bid is truly scandalous.

Jason Scrutton, London,

Perhaps this is finally the point to make a stand against selling public goods and services to profit making organisations. In a civilised country, transport, education, utilities etc should be operated for the benefit of all, not a matter of private profit. I hope we will all get a chance to join a protest against this proposal.

Anne Gray, Bridport,

This Government's approach to the Canal system shows that all they are interested in is short time cash generation to waste on white elephants and total lack of interest in real developments. The canals could have taken massive amounts of freight off the roads but this government is too short sighted to see the potentional there.

David Evans, Rotherham, South Yorkshire

The canals should not be sold off. They should be kept under British Waterways as they are the best people to manage them sympathetically. They are a wonderful asset. Walking along the towpaths is a joy. Away from thundering traffic there is peace and tranquility and always plenty of interesting things to see, whether in town or country. I hope there will be a massive protest against these plans which will destroy a wonderful NATIONAL asset.Thank-you Ben Macintyre for highlighting this. Keep up the good work.

A A, Banbury,

The canals have a great BRITISH history, they are a marvellous asset with a great future. The government should not be allowed to get away with treating them in the same cavalier way they have treated pension schemes.

Roger Sykes, Christchurch, New Zealand