With more boats taking to the waterways as the better weather arrives, the Canal & River Trust is renewing its pledge to do more to tackle the issues most important to boaters.
THE trust is encouraging people out on the cut to report faulty paddles, spots that need more dredging, places with overgrown vegetation and other issues through the ‘contact us’ form on its website. An app for boaters to report faults quickly and easily is in development, with testing planned for the summer.
The trust said by working together, it can prioritise the increased spend it is planning in 2026 and beyond on the areas that matter most to those on the water. Alongside its multi-million-pound engineering programme that keeps canals navigable, it has committed to spend more on day-to-day tasks, including an additional £10 million that was allocated across 2025 and 2026.
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From April 1, 2025, to March 31 this year, the trust has:
- Repaired 323 broken paddles, including 89% of newly occurring paddle faults within four weeks. This has seen the backlog of broken paddles fall by 70%. As underwater mechanisms in constant use, paddles are vulnerable and can cause disruption to boaters when they break. By tackling the backlog, fixing all new paddle faults within four weeks, and carrying out more preventative maintenance, the trust aims to reduce these issues.
- Cleared 1270 trees and has committed to removing fallen trees blocking navigation within 48 hours where possible. The trust has carried out tree surveys across the network, and more proactive work will take place after the nesting season has finished.
- Stepped up grass cutting in areas that are important for boating. More than 15,000km of grass has been mown, focusing on access and safety for boaters, with nine cuts at locks, landings and mooring sites.
Building on last year’s work, the trust’s teams and volunteers will grease locks and move bridges, and also keep them cleared of grass and weeds. They will check for usability and safety, with light repairs carried out wherever possible. This preventative maintenance should help reduce the need for repairs later in the season.
There will be continued commitment to tackling sunken boats too, which can cause obstacles for navigation. Although primarily the responsibility of the boat owner and their insurers, the trust, as the navigation authority with a responsibility to all licence holders, will identify known sunken boats and develop a prioritised plan to remove them, starting with the higher risk cases and those that can be removed quickly. Abandoned boats can reflect the challenges some boaters face, and the trust’s welfare team is there to help those who are struggling.
Alongside these practical tasks to make cruising smoother, the trust said it is investing in the essential services that support boating. Over the past year, 78% of damaged water points, Elsan and pump-outs were fixed on the first visit, with a new aim set for a repair team to arrive onsite within 24 hours of notification. There is an ongoing programme to standardise facilities and replace obsolete parts, making future maintenance faster and more efficient.
Work will also continue to improve waste management at busy sites. Last year, 91% of bins were emptied on time. More work will be done on helping to reduce overflowing bins and to tackle fly-tipping, which caused 5.9% of bin collections to be missed. Boaters are asked to let the trust know when there’s a problem so missed collections or overflowing bins can be swiftly investigated and rectified.
Outside the additional £10 million investment, the trust plans to increase the amount of dredging carried out and prioritise work to fix leaks and save water. The trust already invests several millions in dredging every year – £6.8 million in 2024/25 – with high demand across the network.
Matthew Symonds, head of boating and customer service, said: “Boaters have been clear about what matters most – reliable infrastructure, well-maintained navigation, and facilities they can depend on. We are focusing our efforts on those areas, so that boating feels easier and more enjoyable across the network.
“We’ve made a solid start with the improvements introduced last year and, while we know there is still some way to go, we are determined to keep building on that progress. By investing more in preventative maintenance, responding more quickly to issues and being transparent about how we’re performing, we want boaters to see and feel the difference.”
