Runcorn: Visionary waterways
Graham Wallace, with Runcorn Lock Restoration Society volunteers © courtesy Graham Wallace
Graham Wallace is a retired Royal Naval veteran who spent his childhood living on the banks of the Bridgewater Canal, which ran through the heart of Runcorn.
“I've always had a link with the Canal, but travelling by boat on the Canal really opened my eyes,” says Graham. “If you go through the Town on the Canal you get a different perspective than from walking down the high street.”
It was this alternative perspective of Runcorn that inspired Graham to start the ‘Unlock Runcorn’ campaign to reopen the historic Canal link between the Bridgewater Canal and the Manchester Ship Canal (historically the River Mersey).
As chairman of Runcorn Lock Restoration Society (RLRS) and member of the Runcorn Town Deal Board, Graham now dedicates his time to re-energising the Town’s historic waterways. He believes bringing state of the art technology to Runcorn, not seen in the UK, is one of the answers to attracting visitors and potential investors back to the Town by boat and by foot.
“We're not just restoring a link, we're using 21st century technology to create a unique boat lift, and we will transport boats at the bottom end using an inclined plane. The inclined plane boat lift uses a carriage or a lorry to lift boats up a level, it’s quicker and wastes less water than the more common lock system.”
“There are examples in other countries, but there aren’t any still in use in England,” says Graham.
A historic link: from Runcorn to the world!
The Bridgewater Canal is deeply entwined in the history of Runcorn and Graham speaks passionately about both the Canal and Town, sharing his knowledge with the local community.
“In 1776, when the Canal first opened, it was the main transport lane between Manchester and the rest of the world. Runcorn’s economy was built upon that in the industrial revolution,” he explains.
Graham’s ambition is to reconnect the waterways that give Runcorn its unique identity, returning to the waters that remain one of the Town’s most valuable assets. The phased plan celebrates the Town’s industrial heritage with the aim of revitalising Runcorn's economy for the future – and include a new marina, boat lift, visitor attraction and cultural centre.
“The implications are huge. Not just for the Canal, not just for boaters, but for people to come and see the attraction we hope to create, and for the Town as a whole to benefit from the footfall,” says Graham.
The Canal: more relevant today than it's ever been
“From the 60s the pleasure crafts started making use of the Canals. Now the Canals are as busy as they ever were, ” says Graham.
Currently, thousands of boaters use the Bridgewater Canal every year. Yet they are bypassing the Runcorn arm which was bricked in at Waterloo Bridge in the 1960s to support roads feeding the Silver Jubilee Bridge. This turned Runcorn into a cul-de-sac.
As the Bridgewater Canal carries on through the system, past the Town, it transports thousands of potential visitors and a valuable revenue stream for the local economy. Graham is determined to change that. The new Mersey Gateway crossing opening in 2017 provided the opportunity to move the roads, reopen the Canal and to unlock Runcorn.
“Opening the link to the main Canal system, creating this opportunity for boats to come to Runcorn and rejoin the Canal at the Trent-on-Mersey and beyond will once again bring people into the town, ” Graham says.
“As well as boosting the economy, and raising the general wellbeing of our residents, it's also an opportunity for local businesses to prosper from increased footfall.”
Unlocking a more prosperous future
This first phase will make the most of the funding that is being sought from the Runcorn Town Deal. “It will enable us to build and open the boat lift,” says Graham. “Boats can use the lift to turn around and go back. It’s like a taster, and hopefully that will bring in more interest from developers to do phase two and three. It will be slightly more expensive working in phases, but unfortunately, that's the way we have to go.”
Persistence, passion and getting your house in order
Graham puts his successes with the ‘Unlock Runcorn’ campaign down to persistence. He also invested a significant amount of time in sharing his passion with others.
“I did walks, and talks, invited the boating community in, and encouraged the local community to contact the council,” he says.
A project development grant from the Liverpool City Region enabled the Runcorn Lock Restoration Society to develop a business strategy which is Green Book compliant. It also put them on a more professional footing to engage with the council, and to capitalise on the funding available from the Towns Fund programme.
“If you’re a charity looking to invest in a project of this magnitude you must get your own house in order at the very early stages. I’ve learnt that we should have got ourselves in the position we’re in now a few years ago, but we’re here now,” says Graham.
Runcorn is ready for change
Runcorn is a Town shaped by historic waterways. As the community looks to the future, the Bridgewater Canal is set to play a significant role in fuelling the Town’s local economy for generations to come.
“People in Runcorn are just ready for change, and really support us. We are a community-based operation and will always be a community project. We will always use volunteers, all jobs that are created from the visitor centre, the marina, and the attraction itself will come from the local economy. The community is 100% behind this project, ” says Graham.
This story was written from a conversation with Graham Wallace, chairman of Runcorn Lock Restoration Society and Runcorn Town Deal Board member.
Runcorn is one of 101 places invited by the Government to develop Town Deal proposals to deliver long-term economic recovery, clean growth, jobs and prosperity as part of the £3.6 billion Towns Fund. Runcorn has submitted their Town Investment Plan and the Government is in the process of assessing their Town Deal proposals. The outcome of this assessment will be confirmed in due course.