Business case outlines benefits and value for money of waterway.
A new study has today confirmed that a proposed canal linking Milton Keynes to Bedford would represent value for money.
The newly released ‘Outline Business Case for the Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway’ says that the proposed 26 kilometre canal would deliver £2.40 in benefits for every £1 invested.
The business case sets out an economic, environmental, and social case for the new £475 million waterway. Designed to link the Grand Union Canal at Milton Keynes to the River Great Ouse at Bedford, the waterway would form a central feature of the Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor — one of the UK’s most dynamic development areas.
The project promises to enhance local tourism, unlock leisure and active travel opportunities, and provide a missing link in Britain’s historic canal network, says the Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Trust, adding that the waterway would offer:
· A scenic walking and cycling route to support healthy lifestyles
· Enhanced biodiversity and green space
· Resilience against both flooding and drought through 21st-century water management
· Growth potential for the local hospitality and tourism sectors
The canal also complements planned regional infrastructure, including East West Rail, and the forthcoming Universal Theme Park, expected to draw millions of visitors annually.
The report, produced by consultancy AECOM and developed in line with HM Treasury’s Green Book guidance, demonstrates a benefit-to-cost ratio (BCR) of 2.4, which means that every £1 spent would return £2.40 in economic and social value.
“I am more confident than ever that the waterway will play a vital role in Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes’ future, putting ‘Water Where It’s Wanted’,” said Simon Clewlow, Chair of the Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Trust.
“As well as being a key piece of climate-resilient infrastructure, it will add a unique, complementary tourism offer to the Universal Theme Park and beyond.”
The Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway Trust was established in 1995 to promote the development of a connecting waterway park to link the Grand Union Canal in Milton Keynes to the River Great Ouse in Bedford through a series of purpose-built waterways connecting existing lakes along the route. For more information visit: bmkwaterway.org/.
