CANAL & RIVER TRUST is set to deliver a major winter works programme to help safeguard its waterways.
This will include repairs and engineering works across England and Wales, carrying out essential works across 33 navigations to keep the nation's historic canal network open, safe and navigable for future generations.
Busy time
Winter is a particularly busy time of year for the charity’s engineers, contractors and volunteers as fewer boats are out using the canals making it a good time of year to carry out major repairs.
This year’s programme, running between November and next March, includes the replacement of 136 lock gate leaves alongside a wide range of maintenance, restoration and infrastructure improvement projects across the trusts 2,000 miles network.
Among the largest structures being replaced are the safety gates at Purton on the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. Each gate leaf stands more than six metres high and six metres wide, making them comparable in size to a semi-detached house and highlighting the remarkable scale of the engineering work required to keep the waterways operating safely.
Other notable projects include repairs to five locks on the Marple Flight on the Peak Forest Canal in Greater Manchester, three locks at Stoke Bruerne on the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire, and two locks on the Wigan Flight of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in Lancashire.
Built to control water level
Also on the list are the historic stop locks at Autherley Junction on the Shropshire Union Canal and Hawkesbury Lock on the Oxford Canal. These stop locks are different from most on the canal network as, rather than helping boats climb or descend a hill, they were mainly built to control the water level and water supply between two different canals and therefore tell the story of the former rivalry between canal companies over water supplies and toll income.
This winter’s programme also includes the installation of 15 new lock gates funded by players of Postcode Lottery, marking 15 years of support for Canal & River Trust. The '15 locks for 15 years' initiative is helping fund the replacement of gates across the network.
The winter works programme follows an exceptionally dry summer that created unprecedented challenges across parts of the network. Canal & River Trust teams worked throughout the drought to manage water resources and keep as many canals open as possible for boaters, local communities and wildlife.
Drought presented challenges
While the drought presented significant operational challenges, the low water conditions also provided opportunities to accelerate some planned maintenance works. The Trust was able to bring forward lock gate replacement works at Lock 33 on the Oxford Canal, undertake gate repairs at Lock 21 on the Stratford Canal, complete gate replacements at Froghall Lock on the Caldon Canal and repair lock gates at Bosley Locks on the Macclesfield Canal.
Campbell Robb, chief executive of Canal & River Trust, explained:
“Every winter our waterways may appear quieter, but behind the scenes our teams are carrying out some of the most important work of the year. These repairs and renewals are critical to keeping canals open, safe and working for the millions of people who use and enjoy them.
“This summer's drought highlighted the growing pressures they face from extreme weather and ageing infrastructure. Our teams worked incredibly hard to keep as much of the network operating as possible, while also taking opportunities to bring forward some essential repairs.
“As the charity that cares for 2,000 miles of historic canals and rivers, we know these waterways don't maintain themselves. Without ongoing investment and expert conservation, locks, bridges, embankments and other structures gradually deteriorate, putting at risk a national treasure that benefits people, nature and local communities across the country.
“We're enormously grateful to the volunteers, supporters, donors and partners who make this work possible. Their commitment helps us protect these extraordinary waterways and ensure they continue to thrive for generations to come.”
Canal & River Trust’s annual winter works programme forms a crucial part of the charity’s efforts to protect a network that is more than 250 years old. In addition, this winter will also see a programme of works to manage offside trees, maintain historic hedgerows, complete a full width grass cut across the entire network, and carry out prioritised works, for example at canal feeders, to benefit water supply.