One project in Eden, which had been allocated over £300,000 from the Government’s Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF), is now no longer going ahead.
Lake District Estates were awarded £310,00 to reduce carbon emissions by converting Ullswater Steamers’ flagship vessel, Lady of the Lake, to become parallel hybrid electric powered.
At the time, a spokesman for Westmorland and Furness Council said the project would be “an important demonstrator of the possibilities towards lake transport decarbonisation in the Lake District and nationally”.
It was said the project would act as a catalyst for further innovation and attract more visitors while delivering towards a “carbon net zero visitor experience”, serving connections between Stagecoach/Hopper bus services, Ullswater Way walking routes and linked to the West Coast main line rail station in Penrith.
A spokeswoman for Lake District Estates said: “Unfortunately we had to withdraw this project due to increased costs and uncertainty surrounding installation of electric engines, power supply, insurances and public liability.
“Media publicity surrounding fires and risks added to the issues. We are looking at ways to reduce carbon all of the time and we have switched some vehicles to HVO fuel already.”
Asked what happens to money such as the £310,000 allocated to the Lady of Lake carbon reduction project, when it does not go ahead, a Westmorland and Furness council spokesman said: “The Investment Board approved reallocation of £310,000 of REPF underspend to other projects following the withdrawal of the Lady of the Lake project.
“This was made up of an additional £7,000 to The Wordsworth Trust; an additional £96,934 to the Canals and Rivers Trust; up to £59,508 to the Public Rights of Way team to deliver 0.4km of footpath improvements to compliment the Lancaster Canal Tow Path scheme; and to ringfence the remaining balance to Westmorland and Furness Council’s Support for Local and Cultural Heritage Organisations grant programme.”
