Western-Water-Highway
At the forefront of Derek's thoughts was also the decline of Britain's once world renowned industries and what could be done to activate a renaissance in Britain's economic and social fortunes. Many ways and things passed through his mind until eventually he had a flash of inspiration. This has now developed into the concept of the Western Water Highway (WWH) that would bring sustainable prosperity to his native Northern England. He postulated that with all the major industries gone and the creation of thousands of low-paid retail trade jobs, grid locked roads (which will escalate to form high economic demise and effect in future times), very high fuel costs, water supplies in the risk business, increasing air pollution compounded with the failure of all political parties not to develop a sustainable future for Northern Youth to enjoy, methods had to be found to end this enormous socio-economic decline. Indeed, the problems in the Pacific Rim countries have brought the chicken home to roost and what can happen in a short period of time. What benefit could be achieved therefore was paramount in Derek's mind. Shipping by which the majority of trade tonnage is transported had on the west coast of Britain and that of Ireland a long journey around the coastline of England, Wales and Scotland to enter Europe. Compounded with this there was unlimited scope for massive industrial regeneration along the narrow strip of land between Carlisle and Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Therefore Derek had developed the whole concept of the WWH in a matter of a few months but who would listen to him. Prime Ministers Major and Blair have both done so but with no effect to date. The key to the whole concept is the town of Carlisle and the city of Newcastle with only a mere 53 miles between them. If we then add the South Tyne Valley , the Irthing and the linking of these sea locations you have the reality of aseries of lakes joined by a deep water channel; allowing navigation and wealth creation on an unprecedented scale for this depressed area of the United Kingdom.
Benefits for Great Britain through the WWH would be:
- 35,000 Construction Jobs
- 50,000 to 60,000 Inward Investment Jobs
- 8,500 MW Tidal Energy(enough power to provide 10% of all Britain’s energy needs
- Reduction in CO2 emissions
- Reduction of National Transport Costs
- Direct Routes to Europe for Ireland, N.Ireland, Wales, Lower Scotland and the West Coast of England
- Endless Free-Water Supply
- Reduction in HGV Traffic
- Reduction in Road Maintenance through far less road haulage
- New Leisure/Tourist Industry
- Coastal defence. Rock Supply by Water
- West Coast Infrastructure Road
- 40 years Supply of Water borne Aggregate Supply for UK
- Solution to Beaufort Dyke Problem
- Creation of Wildlife Educational Park
- Development of the Port of Carlisle & Tyne
- Retail Trade Increase
- Pressure Relieved on Lake & Peak District
- Reduction on Environmental Blight by National Quarrying
- Solway bay and Morecambe Bay Developed For Marine Leisure Industry
- Generates Opportunity for Re-birth of Ship Repairs and Building (New High Speed Vessels)
- Provides an East-West Conduit for Many Services
- New Civil Engineering Bridges and Tunnels
- Increased Airport Growth
- Permanently Connects Ireland-Northern England-Southern Scotland to the Northern EU and Scandinavia-Eastern Bloc-Russia via EU Waterways
- Eases SE Coast Shipping Congestion through a Northern Exit Route and Extensively Cuts Journeying Time to Europe
The big problem as always in creating the mechanism for undertaking such a vast project is how would it be paid for? Derek has studied this problem in great detail. New jobs and business over a 10 year period through this new navigational trade route would create an estimated 150,000 jobs in Ireland, Holland, Germany and Northern England but with the completion of the Rhine-Main-Danube connection in Europe this figure could treble. 3 billion cubic metres of quality rock for coastal and land reclamation in Holland is only one of the many benefits. We have also to consider what if Nuclear sellafield closes or Nissan leaves the North East, two of the regions biggest employers. These and other reasons must also be why the WWH has to proceed. The new breed of high speed ferry services would put Dublin and Belfast only 16 hours journeying time to Northern Europe through the WWH; this must be worth billions of $ in lost revenues and fuel consumption to the Irish economy alone. Additionally the largest catchment of fresh water exists in the area draining via the Rivers Tyne, Eden and Irthing but it all goes into the North Sea and Irish Sea, but why?; when it could go via the Lakes, then to the South through the existing grid system of canals. Power to the tune of 8,500 MW of tidal energy would be established from the Solway and Morecambe Bay through the construction of the WWH and combined with a new coastal defence road would unlock 25,000 new jobs, save the Lake District from onward decline and put in place a coastal defence redressing further erosion. The cost would be in the region of $10 billion with $5 billion coming from EC Grants, $3.5 billion from the sale of minerals and $1.5 billion from an international developer. With the benefit of a Green 10 year Redeemable Bond at the sale of $500 million per annum creating $5 billion Six nations will benefit and give a basic cash-flow requirement of $600 million each year - a Small Price for So Much. In private interviews with Prime Ministers Blair and Major the reaction to the WWH scheme has been positive. The whole plan has been written but Derek now needs support either in the UK or through the international markets. Although everything makes sense Derek has only a modest condition. A bronze plaque at the Gilsland Cutting reads, 'An Engineer passed this way' Therefore, Derek makes an appeal without reservation to people with influence throughout the world who can help true innovation contribute to a sustainable future for the masses who's voice is small but the suffering great.
WWH Indicative Development Plan for the Nation of Britain
Derek V Russell
Executive Council Member of the World Innovation Foundation
August 1998
All Information concerning this unique project is obtainable at
WWH,
Astmore House,
194 Abbey Hey Lane,
Manchester
M18 8TW
Tel: +44 161 371 8006
Fax: +44 161 370 4608