HUHNE BACKS WATERWAYS PETITION

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 21st May 2007

Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne was the Liberal Democrat member of a cross-party delegation to hand in the Save our Waterways petition to Environment minister BarryGardiner.

Mr Huhne is pictured here with Charlotte Atkins MP, Barry Gardiner, Will Chapman and John Fletcher, head of the Inland Waterways Association handing over the 38,000 signature petition calling for an end to waterways funding cuts at the offices of the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The petition was organised by boaters organisations including the Hamble-based Royal Yachting Association and the Inland Waterways Association in reaction to the in year cuts in grant and staff at British Waterways.

The campaign has attracted widespread support from celebrities such as actor and Poirot star David Suchet, who took to the Thames outside parliament with Mr Huhne and others to protest.

Mr Huhne said: "These ill thought out cuts in funding for British Waterways could end up costing us all more in the long run because timely maintenance is so important to our waterways and canals.

"Canals have helped to bring new prosperity to many parts of the countryside and older towns and cities, and the Government has completely underestimated the importance and support for boating" said Mr Huhne.

"Thousands of Eastleigh people enjoy boating every year, and this campaign is designed to safeguard an enormous pleasure for future generations".