cheshire-ring.co.uk

Campaigning;

An inside viewpoint of the founding and the many and varied activities of the Peak Forest Canal Society (PFCS) from June 1964 until 1969. In conjunction with the Inland Waterways Association, the PFCS led the successful campaign to reopen the Ashton and lower Peak Forest Canals and retain navigation rights on the vital Manchester section of the Rochdale Canal.

Four elements contributed significantly to the Cheshire Ring campaign;

1 Voluntary work:

Work on improving the disused canals by people from all over the UK especially in Operation Ashton. This unprecedented use of volunteers was a definitive event of the Cheshire Ring campaign and produced " a subtle but unmistakeable shift in the general attitude of local authorities towards restoration ... particularly in Manchester Corporation the 'key' authority in the region"

2 Rallies/festivals:

The 1966 and subsequent Marple boat rallies/festivals and associated events. These events greatly increased canal usage, generated massive publicity and public interest and raised the whole restoration profile over several years.

3 Legal activities:

The relatory action, sanctioned by the Attorney-General, against BW by a large group of local authorities, waterway users and individuals for failure to maintain the Ashton and lower Peak Forest Canals was crucial, although ultimately thwarted by the 1968 Transport Bill. Events during the passage of the Bill compelled the Government to give a three year moratorium before decisions over future action could be taken.,which campaigners exploited to great and eventually successful effect.

4 Strategy:

Publication of the strategy document The Cheshire Canal Ring. This booklet "produced a direct and cohesive strategy for development of an entire regional framework which was previously lacking......Restoration had been given tangible and reasoned argumentsand perhaps more crucially a brand name". The name and concept of a cruising canal ring quickly became a feature of much subsequent waterways campaigning and publicity material.