Foxton Locks open its gates to the public

Step down into the drained Foxton Locks
Step down into the drained Foxton Locks

The Canal & River Trust (CRT) is inviting the public to step down into the drained Foxton Locks for a chance to see what it takes to keep the 200-year-old famous flight of locks working smoothly.

Over the next two months CRT is completing important works at Foxton, the longest and steepest ‘staircase’ of locks in the UK, including replacing a number of giant oak lock gates. The programme of works will see new lock gates lifted into seven of the site’s ten locks as well as repairs to historic brickwork and other parts of the lock structures. Continue reading “Foxton Locks open its gates to the public”

Canal & River Trust issues a strategy update

Canal & River Trust issues a strategy
Canal & River Trust issues a strategy

The Canal & River Trust has released its latest annual update detailing progress over the past year against its strategic action plan.

In October 2015 the Canal & River Trust published its water resources strategy, ‘Putting the Water into Waterways’, setting long term aspirations for the next five years as well as looking ahead to 2050 to understand longer-term pressures and challenges regarding water supply and use.

Drought conditions have persisted in 2019 with restrictions being re-imposed on Continue reading “Canal & River Trust issues a strategy update”

Inland Waterways value to the UK highlighted in report

UK Inland Waterways
UK Inland Waterways

The value of inland waterways across the UK has been highlighted in a new report by the Inland Waterways Association.

The review brings together previously written reports and studies to evidence the many benefits that a waterway can bring to an area with the aim of influencing planners and policy makers.

“As budgets are stretched and funding is being cut, it is all the more important to have clear information at your fingertips when speaking to members of the local council or developers who are looking to impact on inland waterways,” explained Continue reading “Inland Waterways value to the UK highlighted in report”

Heritage report for 2017-19 published by Canal & River Trust

Heritage report for 2017-19
Heritage report for 2017-19

The Trust formally checks for changes in condition, defects or hazards along each stretch of canal at least once every two months. These inspections show that incidents affecting waterways heritage stood at 626 in 2017/18 and 635 in 2018/19, down from 800 recorded incidents in 2016/17. The most common cause of damage was vandalism (42% and 41% in 2017/18 and 2018/19, with half involving graffiti).

Less frequent, but significant, are incidents of damage caused by impact from vehicles or boats. In 2017/18 40% of all such incidents were caused by boats, reducing to 19% in 2018/19. Vehicle collisions typically damage canal bridges, and in 2017/18 there were 63 reported incidents, rising to 85 incidents in 2018/19. Continue reading “Heritage report for 2017-19 published by Canal & River Trust”

Duckweed explosion puts UK waterways diversity under threat

Explosion in duckweed is threatening marine life
Explosion in duckweed is threatening marine life

Waterways maintenance company The Rothen Group has warned that the explosion in duckweed is threatening marine life and is calling for a sustainable solution.

Duckweed causes damage by preventing sunlight from hitting the water and reducing oxygen levels.

According to The Rothen Group, this has damaging consequences for the biodiversity of our waterways, and significantly impacts on their long-term health. To prevent the uncontrolled growth of this invasive species, those tasked with clearing weeds should turn to specialist marine equipment to combat the issue. Continue reading “Duckweed explosion puts UK waterways diversity under threat”

The Canal & River Trust: Unlocking the potential of London’s canals and rivers

The Canal & River Trust launches its new Prospectus
The Canal & River Trust launches its new Prospectus

The Canal & River Trust has launched its new Prospectus to support good growth, prosperity and wellbeing across the UK Capital’s canals, rivers and waterways.

The prospectus is intended to give a brief introduction to how the Trust’s waterways, the Trust’s work and the work of their partners on and near the canals and rivers support wellbeing in London. It supports the Mayor of London’s aspirations for ‘Good Growth’, London as a National Park City and Healthy Streets, among others.

It seeks to raise awareness of many of the great things that are happening on the waterways, such as education programmes, adoptions and cultural activities. It promotes opportunities for the waterways to do more, including better towpaths to improve connectivity across the city, more welcoming environments along the waterways Continue reading “The Canal & River Trust: Unlocking the potential of London’s canals and rivers”

Clean Maritime Plan: Diesel’s days could be numbered for UK domestic vessels and inland waterways

Clean Maritime Plan
Clean Maritime Plan

The diesel engine could be on the way out if the Government carries its recently launched Clean Maritime Plan through to its conclusion.

Part of the Clean Air Strategy, which aims to cut air pollution across all sectors to make the UK “net zero” on greenhouse gases by 2050, the Plan sets out how the Government hopes to achieve ‘zero emissions shipping’. But despite this wording, it doesn’t just affect seagoing craft. The plan also covers inland shipping and recreational boats, and a Call for Evidence has been issued specifically for “domestic vessels and inland waterways”.

This states clearly that “the expectation that the maritime sector will transition away from fossil fuels extends to all parts of the sector, including those vessels on inland waterways”. And a Government announcement accompanying the launch Continue reading “Clean Maritime Plan: Diesel’s days could be numbered for UK domestic vessels and inland waterways”

RCR urges boat owners to fit bilge filters to stop contamination

River Canal Rescue (RCR) is urging boat owners to take action to install bilge filters to stop the contamination of inland waterways through the accidental spilling of fuel and oil.

RCR estimates that more than 120,000 litres of fuel and oil make their way into the waterway system every year, contaminating 120 billion litres of water – the equivalent of the entire UK daily water supply.

RCR operations director, Jay Forman, said, “Boat owners with poorly-maintained bilge areas, no filters or a facility to discharge contaminants into a holding tank are adding to, rather than addressing, the pollution issues. Continue reading “RCR urges boat owners to fit bilge filters to stop contamination”

RCR cites lack of vessel maintenance as reason for increasing number of call outs

RCR engineers frequently come across vessels with no smoke or CO alarms that have fire risks and ventilation issues.
RCR engineers frequently come across vessels with no smoke or CO alarms that have fire risks and ventilation issues.

River Canal Rescue (RCR) is urging boaters to pay more attention to vessel maintenance and safety following an increase in the number of call-outs for faults caused by what it describes as a general lack of maintenance.

In 2016, this amounted to 948 call-outs, in 2017 there were 1031 and in 2018 RCR had 1081 call-outs due to lack of maintenance and safety, together with continuing fires and CO poisoning incidents.

“Boaters who fail to maintain their vessels or pay attention to boat safety put themselves and others at risk,” said RCR operations director, Jay Forman.

He said, “With Continue reading “RCR cites lack of vessel maintenance as reason for increasing number of call outs”

Canal & River Trust finalises sale of BWML

LDC is the UK’s leading mid-market private equity investor
LDC is the UK’s leading mid-market private equity investor

The Canal & River Trust has finalised the sale of its wholly-owned marina subsidiary, BWML, in a transaction that sees Lloyds Development Capital (LDC) invest in the business, supporting the existing management team.

Stuart Mills, Chief Investment Officer at the Canal & River Trust, says: “We are delighted to have completed the sale of BWML and will be investing the proceeds into other income-generating assets to support our core work of caring for the nation’s canals and rivers.

“BWML is performing well and we believe its prospects for future growth are good. Coupled with the expertise of LDC we believe the business will benefit and, by extension, its boating customers will Continue reading “Canal & River Trust finalises sale of BWML”

What future for freight on the UK canal network?

Cargoes on the Trent, the Aire & Calder Navigation and the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation included coal, stone, oil, gravel and sand. But one by one these traffics disappeared
Cargoes on the Trent, the Aire & Calder Navigation and the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation included coal, stone, oil, gravel and sand. But one by one these traffics disappeared

Four years ago the Canal & River Trust launched a last-ditch attempt to revive commercial freight carrying on the larger waterways before it died out completely. How has it fared since then?

Back in the 1990s, any guide describing the canals and rivers of Yorkshire and the north eastern part of the network would make a point of emphasising how these large-scale waterways were still busy with freight barges loading several hundred tonnes each and helping to satisfy the nation’s transport needs – unlike the small-scale canals of the Midlands and most of the rest of the system, where regular commercial freight had died out a quarter of a century earlier.

Cargoes on the Trent, the Aire & Calder Navigation and the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation included coal, stone, oil, gravel and sand. But one by one these traffics disappeared, not necessarily for Continue reading “What future for freight on the UK canal network?”

CRT to create regional teams to improve customer service and engage with local communities

Richard Parry, CRT CEO (pictured right)
Richard Parry, CRT CEO (pictured right)

Canal & River Trust will move resource from its centrally based roles into its six regional customer-facing teams to improve customer service and engage with local communities.

The changes will be made as part of the trust’s waterways and well being strategy and will see operational management roles adapted to meet the requirements of the new regions.

Richard Parry, CEO, commented: “The Trust has been repositioning as a charity for the waterways and well being, with a new structure that has seen us move from ten waterways to six larger regions, with some activities previously managed centrally now devolved to these regional teams, and a reduction in senior manager numbers overall.

Continue reading “CRT to create regional teams to improve customer service and engage with local communities”

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