AN offer of a free trip to Birmingham for objectors to the Swindon canal project has sunk without a trace.

In April the Wilts and Berks Canal Trust offered a coach trip to see part of the Birmingham canal system as a way of getting their message across to the doubters of the Swindon scheme.

But three weeks after the offer was extended not a single response has been received.

Roy Cartwright, chairman of the Swindon branch of the trust, said: "This is a great disappointment to the trust as we would have liked to show the doubters what has been achieved with urban canals and waterways elsewhere.

"These canals provide enjoyment for all - including tourists, walkers, fishermen, cyclists, and of course canal boaters who contrary to popular belief only make up about three per cent of the members of the public who use canals.

"One lady who wrote to the paper did come into the shop and explain that she had no desire to travel to a canal with us as she had already seen them and still did not want it for Swindon.

"We can all respect the lady's views as we all have our own ideas on what is best for Swindon.

"Therefore we will now be withdrawing our offer of a free trip for dissenters of the canal as our bus would be empty."

A number of supporters of the canal project did express an interest in paying to go on the trip, so an outing may be arranged in the future.

Roy hopes to take councillors and members of the business community along for the ride.

Critics of the £52m canal project fear it will quickly fill with rubbish and attract drunken yobs.

There are also concerns that it will add to potential traffic problems created by the town centre regeneration.

The scheme's supporters counter with the view that it will create £8m a year in tourism revenue.

They also say that it could help change the often negative impression the rest of the country has of Swindon.

At a council meeting in April it was agreed that the council would investigate the scheme in more detail.

The findings will then form the basis of a public poll on the canal.

Anyone interested in going on a future canal trip should sign up at the trust's shop at 1 Theatre Square, opposite the new central library, on Friday or Saturday between 10am and 4pm.

For more information on the trust go to www.wbct.org.uk.