THE Inland Waterways Association (IWA) has said the Canal & River Trust’s plan to close Sykehouse Lock, on the New Junction Canal, near Thorne, South Yorkshire, from November 3 to December 19 for bottom and top gate repairs is excessive and disregards the impact on navigation and businesses.
The six-week duration of the intended closure means that the impact on navigation users, particularly commercial freight, will be substantial. The route is used by Casper River and Canal Transport and Mainmast (Exol Oil).
Between the two companies, one barge-load of oil (400 tonnes), two 300-tonne barge-loads of scrap and one 100-tonne load of cement per week are transported through the lock. This adds up to 1100 tonnes per week, and the closure puts the equivalent of 88 25-ton lorry journeys per week back on road, adding to congestion and pollution in the local area.
The IWA is calling on the CRT to minimise the length of the stoppage to reduce the effect on commercial water freight, local roads, and air quality.
IWA’s Freight Group recently released a report highlighting the untapped potential of our inland waterways as a sustainable alternative to road freight. With the UK striving to meet net zero targets, the report shows that moving freight by barge offers substantial environmental and economic benefits.
The group’s David Lowe said: “To maximise the benefits of freight on the waterways, the infrastructure needs to be available, and maintenance on key traffic routes carried out as efficiently as possible.”
