500 signatures reached
To: Mark Drakeford
Save the Tennant Canal
The Tennant Canal was built in the early 19th Century to link the Rivers Nedd and Tawe and bring coal and tinplate down the valley to the dock at Port Tennant. Initially the water supply was from the Neath Canal via an aqueduct and lock at Aberdulais; when these were damaged by storms a weir was constructed to transfer water from the River Dulais; further damage to that resulted in pumps being installed to raise water from the Nedd. Following the cessation of boat trade the Tennant Canal Company gained an income from the sale of water to BP Llandarcy and later the Baglan Energy Plant. When the latter went into liquidation in March 2021 the Tennant Canal Company turned off the pumps and canal maintenance ceased. The water level in the canal is now very low and weeds are growing everywhere.
Why is this important?
The canal is an important reminder of the area's industrial heritage. It is also an environmental asset to the community giving residents easy access to an active travel route and a section is also part of the Wales Coastal Path. The canal at Jersey Marine is also one of the few places in the UK which is home to the rare fen raft spider and connects to two National Nature Reserves.
