BOATERS using the Ouse in York could see a raft of changes under a new campaign to spruce up the river.

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA), which campaigns for the preservation and upkeep of waterways in England and Wales, has set up a new steering group which will oversee rivers from Selby to Ripon, with its main focus on the Rivers Ouse and Foss in York.

Group spokesman Keith Chapman said: "People really, really care about their river.

"It could well be that the Rivers Foss and Ouse could be in for a really nice future."

The group wants to see a number of improvements to the city's waterways over the next decade, including plans to lobby the council to provide a riverside sanitation centre for visiting boaters.

Group chairman John Reeve said the centre - of which there were examples in Boroughbridge and Ripon - would be a place where visiting boat crews could have access to clean water, flush out their toilets and throw away rubbish. He said the service would replace a basic facility in Museum Gardens currently used for this purpose.

The group also wants to see:

A programme of dredging to remove rocks and obstructions

Increased mooring provided for local and visiting boats on the section of the river which flows past Marygate

Better access for boats to the river Foss.

As well as campaigning for improvements, Mr Reeve said the group would also monitor planning applications by developers that could adversely affect the river - work that other IWA branches do elsewhere.

He said: "We can encourage the local authority to look after the public interest in keeping an eye on developments to make sure they are in keeping with the environment on the river corridor."

Members of the group hope it will become officially recognised as a North Yorkshire branch of the IWA, which has other branches in the west and east riding areas.

A City of York Council spokeswoman said the council would look into any suggestions received from the group.

Updated: 11:25 Monday, May 09, 2005