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Introduction
In 1824 a proposal was put forward in a Bill to Parliament, to create a Hants & Berks Junction Canal to connect the Basingstoke Canal to the Kennet & Avon Canal.
Sadly these hopes were dashed when the Bill was defeated in Parliament. Opposition mainly came from the River Thames Commissioners because the new route would bypass their waterway completely.
When the canal was being restored in the 1970s, the ultimate goal was to achieve restoration all the way back to Basingstoke. This, however, turned out to be impracticable due to many obstacles, such as the 1930s partial collapse of the Greywell Tunnel, its colony of bats - a protected species, the M3 motorway and the lack of real interest by Basingstoke.
In more recent years, however, since the restoration of the Basingstoke Canal and it's Royal Re-opening in 1991, thoughts of changing the 'cul-de-sac' nature of a canal going nowhere and turning it into a through route to somewhere, have become increasingly attractive.
To this end, Roger Reed, a member of the canal Society, has researched possible routes for a 21st century canal link to the Kennet & Avon.
If you wish to contribute to a discussion on this subject, pleas e-mail the webmaster putting 'ka link' as the Subject.
 [to be continued]
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