THERE has been talk of restoring the northern reaches of the Lancaster Canal for the last 50 years and the overall cost is so high it has never progressed.

Would it not be worth starting a small section to at least give this some impetus? A small tunnel through the road at Tewitfield and the lock staircase would be a start.

I have recently walked along a section of the Ribble link at Preston. This joins the Lancaster Canal via the River Ribble to join the Leeds Liverpool canal. This cost 5.4 million about 12 years ago and there are around three sets of locks, the first being a staircase of three.

A sum of £1.6 million has been recently spent on the Forth and Clyde Canal and two miles of the Pocklington Canal, including new locks, haves just been opened in Yorkshire.

There is money around so it just needs a kickstart.

Geoff Race

St Annes-on-Sea