This website highlights some British Waterways activities that are subject to a clear conflict of interest.  For example, the requirement that BW should maximise its income from property developments conflicts with the responsibility to consult with local communities who are affected by these developments (see BW - Consultation or Con?).  Again, BW's duty to encourage and support freight transport conflicts directly with their reluctance to invest in the canal maintenance necessary to sustain such transport (see BW - Two-faced on transport?). 

The problem is that in large part, it is left to BW to police such conflicts of interest, and the articles on this website focus attention on a failure rate in this duty which many consider to be increasing. 

The result is a British Waterways knows best condescension towards the very individuals and small companies that make up the majority of BW's core customers and constituents. The reluctance to consult properly at this level, which many will recognise as a BW hallmark, is reflected in a lack of imagination in handling the tensions that inevitably exist between the conflicting requirements. 

Sadly, as the articles in this website show, British Waterways does not always know best, indeed, as John Blundell, the Director General of the Institute of Economic Affairs commented in May, 2006, British Waterways is a typically flawed public agency that often tries to emulate commercial competence but falls far short of its own ambitions.

More seriously, these flaws have led to question marks over British Waterways financial management and there are indications that some aspects of BW’s financial affairs amount to more than mismanagement.

The articles found on the top right of this page give an account.

There are more cases where concern has been raised about BW’s financial probity and this website will be documenting these in the coming months.