Keep our canal free of green gunge!

After large parts of the Basingstoke Canal were covered in green gunge from the summer to the end of the year Cllr Ann- Marie Barker is calling for the local waterway to be kept gunge free. The gunge (technically known as duckweed) covered the canal around parts of Horsell, near the town centre and beyond for more than half of 2014.

"It was particularly disappointing that the green gunge was at its worst when the Worldwide Fund for Nature moved into their new offices in Horsell" said Cllr Barker.

The Basingstoke Canal runs through the counties of both Surrey and Hampshire Councillors and a number of borough council areas. Canal maintenance is managed through a jointly run canal authority to which all boroughs along the course of the waterway should contribute for upkeep.

Woking is one of the few boroughs that makes its full contribution to the maintenance of the canal.

"I raised the issue of the green gunk and Woking getting back a well maintained canal for all the money that it contributes at a Woking Council meeting" said Cllr. Barker. "I requested that the Council write to the canal authority calling for action to clear the gunk. I was assured that the new year would bring a cleaner, less green canal. However, it is now February and it's disappointing that the green gunge is still very much present"

"The canal is a valuable asset. It is a green lung that runs through our borough from Brookwood in the west to Byfleet in the East. It offers so many opportunities for walking, cycling, jogging, dog walking, boating and canoeing" said Cllr. Barker "it is vital that we maintain it so it can continue to be a benefit to our borough".