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Leeds: The slow boat to the future
THEY played a key role in Leeds's rise to a major industrial centre and now canals could help boost the city's economic future in an idea floated by the council.
Proposals to protect vital canal wharves in Leeds – potentially getting thousands of tonnes of freight off the roads and on to the canal network – have received overwhelming support.
The council has proposed to give canal wharfs and railway sidings protection under planning regulations to save them from inappropriate development, ensuring they could be used to transport goods into and waste out of the city.
Consultation on the protection proposal indicated widespread support and now the council is doing further work on planning for freight by canal and rail to try to sort out some issues over land use.
A single barge can carry up to 750 tonnes of goods, taking 35 lorries off roads and reducing the impact on the environment.
Traditionally there has not been sufficient protection for sites next to canal and rail sidings and they have been lost to higher value uses such as housing.
Following the response to its consultation, the council has now approached Network Rail on developing a plan and also hopes to work with the Commercial Boat Operators Association.
The council will work with the owners of these sites and interested parties to ensure that any development is appropriate. Not all sites may be suitable for longer-term use as freight depots, but council bosses hope that where possible these may be retained.
Coun Andrew Carter, council leader and executive board member for development, said: "These canals once carried the lifeblood of Leeds and we hope that by protecting wharfs from development they may once again have a big part to play in our city's prosperity.
"As alternatives to road and air transport become increasingly important, we believe it is vital that we preserve wharfs which could be used by companies to bring goods into and export waste out of our city."
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Weather for Leeds
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
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Wind direction: East
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Temperature: 8 C to 20 C
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