Thanks for posting the link Malcolm. As you can imagine I'd been alerted to the petition via canal-based mailing lists and have signed up. I'd encourage others to sign too. The bulk of people who enjoy canals and waterways aren't actually boaters so walkers, anglers etc will alll be affected if the maintenance, particularly of towpaths, is neglected even more than it is at present, so it isn't just an issue for boaters.
In the long term it may be better if BW did shed it's non-historically significant and non-essential property portfolio and saw an increase in grant to compensate for the loss of revenue, but this is not the time for it to be asset-stripped by the government. I can expand on this point if you like but basically many feel that BW has lost focus on it's primary purpose of maintaining the system because it's got involved in peripheral things like pubs and property development.
On a similar topic, BW are have applied to Aylesbury vale councfil for planning permission to knock down the work-related buildings at Marsworth in order to sell the land for housing (14 I believe). If you feel that this is not appropriate please follow this link to object
http://eplanning.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=KRTF6QCL0CX00I gather that AVDC have been somewhat taken aback by the number of objections being registered!
Thanks
Guy