£40 to use the Bridgewater

PEEL Holdings, owners of the Bridgewater Canal, have decreed that Canal & River Trust licence owners will have to pay for use of the waterway after seven days.

The new ruling is that the seven days is consecutive and there is no return within 28 days, Keith Gudgin tells us.

Cost £40

After the seven days have expired the Trust's licence holders will have to purchase a short term temporary licence costing £40 for seven consecutive days.

This means that boaters using the Bridgewater from the Trent & Mersey to reach the Lancashire  and Yorkshire canals, will have to pay if returning within the 28 days.  This means cruising the Leeds & Liverpool Canal or through Manchester to either the Rochdale or Huddersfield canals, that obviously take more than a week, will incur payment if returning along the Bridgewater, as many boaters do to avoid returning by the tidal Trent.

Cheshire Ring

Or of course anyone doing the Cheshire Ring having to turn back because of the now all too frequent closures.

According to its website, this is now in force, and should you have to obtain a temporary short term Bridgewater Canal licence the company can be contacted on 0161 629 8266.