Stoppages & Restrictions Listings

Bridge 2, Bedford Street
Up Stream Winding Hole: Upstream of Ivy House Br 12
Down Stream Winding Hole: Caldon Junction with the Trent & Mersey Canal

Update on 21/02/2018:

There have been ongoing discussions between the many stakeholders involved in the Bedford Street Bridge project regarding the design of the works to be carried out. It is now agreed the stakeholder group will work towards finalising and agreeing a design over the summer period and will undertake the works during next year’s winter stoppage programme. As a result, the navigation will remain open until further notice.

Lock 9, Mile End Lock

ADVICE (Thursday 3 May 2018 until further notice)

Due to a boating incident, damage has occurred on the bottom gates at Mile End lock. The Lock is still usable but it is important that all lock users ensure the top gates and top paddles are closed after use. This is to conserve the water above the lock.

Engineers are reviewing the damage to schedule in future maintenance works.

Lock 11

Up Stream Winding Hole: Above Lock 12
Down Stream Winding Hole: Below Lock 8

Update on 11/07/2018:

Further monitoring of Marple Lock 11 has shown no significant further movement of the lock chamber, and it has been deemed safe to operate the lock for boats up to 6ft 10in wide under assisted passage 12th July.  Canal & River Trust Staff will be available to assist boats through the lock on Thursday between 9-10am  and subsequently between the hours of 3-4pm in the afternoon on each day.  Engineers will continue to monitor the lock to identify if any further movement does occur, although we hope that it does not.  It may become necessary to shut the lock again at short notice if further movement does occur, and boaters should take this possibility into account when making plans. 

It is hoped that we will be able to continue navigation (albeit restricted and assisted) throughout the majority of the summer boating season, before the lock will be shut for more permanent repairs in the autumn.  The design of these works is ongoing, and ground investigations may require additional restrictions from time to time, these will be minimised and will be advertised as appropriate.

Update on 06/07/2018:

The works to jack back the chamber wall at Marple Lock 11 have been completed.  Unfortunately monitoring has shown that the chamber wall moved (very slightly) overnight, so CRT want to continue monitoring over the weekend and into next week to ensure that it is safe, before we can re-open the lock to navigation (restricted to 6’10”).  While it remains closed, they are at least able to get on with the investigation works for the permanent repairs (to get back to full 7’2” boats), which are currently being designed with the intention to deliver this coming winter.  It is hoped that getting on with these investigations now should reduce disruption later in the summer. 

Update on 29/06/2018:

CRTr teams have been pushing back the masonry in the lock chamber, this has been carried out over the last week. A large number of the stones have moved and are now at 6’11’’, which is the minimum which is required to allow 6’10’’ boats to pass through the lock.

There are some stones which, even though they have moved, have not moved back to allow sufficient clearance. Some of these moves back to 6’11’’ but then push forward again, restricting the width of the lock. Due to this is has now been decided that some masonry should be planed to achieve the require width within the lock.

This will be carried out over the next week, starting on July 2^nd. It is likely that this will take a few days, along with the installation of weep holes in the chamber. Due to this the flight will remain closed to boats as works will continue to be carried out next week. The flight closure will then be reassessed at the end of next week.

Update on 15/06/2018:

During this week while CRT have been assisting boats through Lock 11, they have experienced further difficulties with boats over 45ft long getting stuck on the affected area of the lock wall.

To ensure safe passage through lock 11, CRT can only continue to allow passage for boats up to and including 45ft (13.75m) without restriction and are working hard to establish a temporary repair that will start on site on the 25^th June.

The aim of this temporary repair is to enable unrestricted passage through the summer whilst CRT prepare for a permanent solution to be delivered in the stoppage season. However, there is a risk that this temporary repair will not be successful, which resulting in the lock being closed until they are able to complete the permanent repair.

The lock will be closed to all boat traffic from 25^th June while the temporary repair is carried out.

Update on 06/06/2018:

As a short-term measure CRT have successfully moved back the tow path side copings which were causing some of the pinch-points in the lock and are currently considering how to address the  movement which has occurred lower down in the chamber wall.  The immediate aim is to provide a short-term solution which will provide sufficient clearance to enable all boats with a beam of  up to 6ft 10in to safely navigate through the lock. 

One option that CRT are investigating is the possibility of  jacking the walls back to provide more clearance and if this proves a feasible option, will aim to do this as quickly as possible however this will not be satisfactory solution in the long-term and so CRT are currently also undertaking further analysis and design to enable a more permanent repair to be developed.

Having undertaken further investigations CRT are now in a position to allow supervised passage through Lock 11 (Permitting specific width requirements). There will be no width restriction for boats up to and including 45ft (13.75m) long, boats that are over 45ft long must have a beam of 6ft 9in or less should be able to navigate through the lock. The lock will be opened and supervised on a daily basis between 9 – 10 in the morning and 3  – 4 in the afternoon. (Subject to change at short notice)

Update on 04/06/2018:

Following on from problems at Lock 11 over the weekend where CRT have been operating the lock under a restriction, reluctantly they had to take the decision to close the lock after more extensive problems were found in its operation than had been anticipated.

Engineers and project managers have been assessing things today, and work is ongoing to realign some of the copings.   They will need to review things when this has been completed to decide whether or not they can reopen the lock or if a more extensive repair is going to be needed.

CRT know that this will be disappointing for people especially with the wait for the other work that that has happened at Marple and want to assure everyone that they are doing everything they can to reopen the lock as quickly as possible.

Update on 30/05/2018:

Teams will be carrying out work to Lock 11 tomorrow throughout the day.

Passages will be only available between 11am and 1.30pm.

From Friday onwards, the hours will resume to 10am-4pm.

RESTRICTION (10am Saturday 26 May 2018 until further notice)

There appears to have been some movement in the lock wall that could restrict passage for boats over 6ft 10in, therefore lock 11 will only be passable under staff supervision until further notice.

The lock will be closed outside the hours of 10am and 4pm.

Barrowford Reservoir

ADVICE (9am Friday 1 June 2018 until further notice)

WARNING – Blue Green Algae

A suspected bloom of blue-green algae has been found in this water.

Swallowing the water or algal scum can cause stomach upsets or more serious health effects.

Contact with the water or with algal scum can cause skin or eye problems.

It is a sensible precaution for you, your children and your animals to avoid contact with the scum and the water close to it.

Please note the location of the suspected algal bloom may change as a result of wind and water movement.

Elsan, Grand Junction Bt Co L5 Moorings

ADVICE (10am Wednesday 6 June 2018 until further notice)

The Trust have been made aware of regular diesel contamination of the cess pit at Gayton Junction.

The contamination of the pit delays the scheduled empty and incurs extra unsustainable costs to the Trust. This is because a specialist contractor must be arranged to carry out a contaminated waste empty.

Please be advised the Trust are looking into this and hope that the regular occurrences can be resolved.

If you have any information, or wish to discuss further with the customer service team please contact enquiries.southeast@canalrivertrust.org.uk  

Elton Reservoir

ADVICE (11.45am Wednesday 6 June 2018 until further notice)

A suspected bloom of blue-green algae in the Reservoir has been reported.

Swallowing the water or algal scum can cause stomach upsets or more serious health effects.

Contact with the water or with algal scum can cause skin or eye problems.

It is a sensible precaution for you, your children and your animals to avoid contact with the scum and the water close to it.

Please note the location of the suspected algal bloom may change as a result of wind and water movement.

Starts At: Lock 1, Ryders Green Top Lock
Ends At: Lock 8, Ryders Green

RESTRICTION (4pm Thursday 14 June 2018 until further notice)

Due to continued vandalism Ryders Green flight will be closed overnight between the hours of 4pm and 8am until further notice.

Starts At: Lock 51, Worksop Bracebridge Lock
Ends At: Lock 65, West Stockwith Lock

ADVICE (11am Tuesday 19 June 2018 until further notice)

Each year, especially during the summer months, we experience weed on the Chesterfield Canal that can create problems for boats using the navigation. The growth of weed is a result of the nutrients within the water and the amount of sunlight and some flows in from the numerous watercourses that join the Canal and so to a large extent we have little control of how much weed is present on the canal. CRT use weed boats to remove this weed, typically from May through to September, and place it on the banks of the Canal. Despite these approaches, navigation may be affected from time to time but please be assured that CRT will do its best with the resource available to manage the weed.  Please report any sightings of weed growth to enquiries.eastmidlands@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Starts At: Stanley Dock Top Lock
Ends At: Leeds, Above Office Lock Winter

ADVICE (Monday 25 June 2018 until further notice)

Precious resource

The long-range forecast for the next couple of months looks dry so if we want to be boating all summer long, as ever we’d better look after the water. With more boats on the network than during the height of the industrial revolution, all boaters need to work together to save water. If you’ve been on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal recently you will be aware of  the THRIFT code which sets out some simple steps that boaters should follow for everyone’s benefit.

THRIFT

• Two in a Lock? – Share locks
• Help keep it in – Make sure gates and paddles are shut
• Report any leaks – tell us
• Invite oncoming boats through – Don’t empty or fill locks if someone else can make use of the water
• Find another favourite – Explore less busy parts of the network
• Think ahead – Plan cruises to minimise use of locks

Although CRT only issued the THRIFT code on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal it’s also worth remembering as good boating practice wherever you are on the network.

Please follow this link to view the water management page on our website.

Lincoln Eastern Bypass

ADVICE (Monday 25 June 2018 until Monday 30 March 2020)

Contractors (Galliford Try) are undertaking construction of a new bypass around Lincoln for the next two years.

All boat traffic should take caution when passing and abide by the contractors’ advice, this may result in delay of no longer than 15-20 minutes.

Please slow down when approaching bridge and be prepared to stop if requested.

Delays not exceeding 15-20 minutes.

Knaith Rack

ADVICE (8am Tuesday 26 June 2018 until further notice)

Boaters are advised that there is a sunken boat near Knaith Rack on the River Trent, which runs along Gainsborough Road. The boat is not blocking the navigation, but please proceed with care.

Starts At: Saltersford Small Lock
Ends At: Vale Royal Small Lock

Update on 28/09/2018:

As part of the dredging on the River Weaver, Saltersford Lock will be operated  hourly due to the dredging works taking place in and a round the lock  from Tuesday 2^nd October – Tuesday 9^th October.

Update on 19/09/2018:

Due to the amount of rain we have had recently, the Locks on the Weaver Navigation are reinstated to the Summer operation times,  9:00 – 5:30  (Crafts are to arrive 30mins before closing time to ensure passage).

Update on 02/07/2018:

Following on from the timings stated below which are for week days, please note that lock passage times at weekends only are half past the hour, starting from 9.30am onwards.

RESTRICTION (3pm Tuesday 26 June 2018 until further notice)

Type: Navigation Restriction
Reason: Water resources

Original message:

As a consequence of the current dry spell and the long term forcast for dry weather, CRT are having to implement a water conservation strategy.  With this in mind there is a need to operate a times passage on the Weaver Navigation. The times of the lock passages will be as follows;

Saltersford Lock               Dutton,Hunts and Vale Royal

9am up                              9am down

10am Down                      10am Up

11am Up                           11am Down

12noon down                       12noon Up

1pm Up                              1pm Down

2pm Down                          2pm Up

3pm Up                               3pm Down

4pm Down                          4pm Up

5pm Up                               5pm Down

Starts At: Lock 85, Lock 21
Ends At: Lock 30, Holme Bridge Lock

Update on 19/10/2018:

Repairs on the Wigan Flight have progressed well and our teams will be working over the weekend to complete these. The repairs will be completed by 4pm on Monday 22nd October 2018 and the canal will be re-opened, navigation will then be available from the Wigan Flight to Liverpool, including the Liverpool Canal Link.

Update on 28/09/2018:

In the latter half of September the Leeds & Liverpool Canal reservoirs have benefited from significant rainfall, resulting in an increase in water levels both in the reservoirs and the canal. We are now in a position to re-open the canal as follows:

The Leeds & Liverpool Canal between Wigan Top Lock and Gargrave will be re-opened from tomorrow, Saturday 29th September. However to try and conserve water, we will initially operate with restrictions between 10am and 4pm daily at the following locations:

o            Barrowford Locks (45 to 51).  Last passage commences at 2:30pm.

o            Greenberfield Locks (42 to 44).  Last passage commences at 3pm.

o            Bank Newton Locks (36 to 41).  Last passage commences at 3pm.

o            Gargrave (Holme Bridge Lock 30).  Last passage commences at 3pm.

This will leave the canal open to navigation from the top of Wigan Flight to Leeds. We will review these restrictions next week and aim to remove them as soon as possible.

As the canal was closed due to the drought, we have completed a number of repairs and maintenance works on the lock flights. Part of this plan was to bring forward planned winter stoppage works at Locks 73, 81 and 85 on the Wigan Flight. When taking this decision our data and analysis suggested it would be late October by the time we had enough water to re-open the canal. Bringing forward these stoppage works was intended to minimise disruption to our boating customers of having planned stoppages commence shortly after the canal was re-opened. The reservoirs have actually recovered earlier than expected, mainly due to the recent storms in the North West and unfortunately these stoppages are currently still on site.  The completion date for these stoppage works is Monday 22nd October, whereupon the lock flight will be re-opened. With these works complete, navigation will be available from the Wigan Flight to Liverpool, including the Liverpool Canal Link throughout the winter period (some minor restrictions may apply).

We appreciate this summer has seen significant disruption to our boating customers and many need to return to home and winter moorings. Although the publicised stoppage works at Poolstock, Plank Lane and Finsley Gate still apply, the following windows for movement have been agreed to give customers more flexibility:

Although advertised to close to navigation from 5th November, the navigation will remain open until 11th November at Finsley Gate (Burnley), Poolstock Lock 2 (Leigh Br) and Plank Lane (Leigh Br). The canal will be closed to navigation at the above locations from 12th November. (The individual stoppage notices will be updated to reflect these date changes).

Following completion of the Wigan Flight works, navigation on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal mainline from Burnley to Liverpool will be open with some minor restrictions.  As noted above, Leigh and Rufford Branches will both have closures from November to December.  There are no further stoppage works planned for this area post-Christmas.

Burnley will be impassable from 12th November through to March 2019 as the Finsley Gate closure is for significant relining works.

Update on 13/09/2018:

Although some rainfall has occurred over recent weeks, low levels of rainfall have persisted throughout August and are forecasted to continue through the latter part of September, this has impacted on the reservoir holdings which are still extremely low. At least 5 weeks of prolonged rainfall would be required before holdings were to reach a sustainable water level to consider reopening of the Leeds  & Liverpool. Therefore, it is anticipated that it is unlikely that the canal will reopen between Wigan Flight (from below lock 85) and Gargrave (from below lock 30) until at least the end of October, possibly later if we don’t experience any significant and prolonged rainfall over the coming weeks. We have opened up discussions with the Environment Agency regarding temporary abstractions to protecting the canal environment, these abstractions will not be for the purpose of supporting navigation.

The lock flights at Wigan (locks 65 to 85), Johnsons Hillocks (58 to 64), Blackburn Flight (locks 52 to 57), Barrowford Locks (45 to 51), Greenberfield Locks (42 to 44), Bank Newton Locks (36 to 41) and Gargrave (locks 35 to 30) are padlocked closed and the gates have been ashed up to reduce leakage.  To prevent unauthorised use, measures have been taken to make the locks inoperable. While the closure will prevent use of that stretch of canal by boats the towpath will remain open for visitors and the local community alike to enjoy.

While we have had the canal closed our teams have been taking advantage of the lock closures to deliver a large programme of works to remedy some of the usability issues on the locks.   Works have included paddle repairs, vegetation clearance, pointing works, and leakage repairs on the gates.  We have also completed painting, greasing and debris removal works.  Taking the current situation in to consideration we have chosen to bring forward our winter works programme for the following locks, Lock 43  Greenberfield, Lock 73, Lock 81 and Lock 85, we will now deliver these works during September and October while the lock flights remains closed.

This does mean that customers wishing to access or leave between Wigan Flight (from below lock 85) and Gargrave (from below lock 30) won’t be able to do so until the stoppage works have been concluded and the reservoir holdings have improved.

Update on 27/07/2018:

Due to the continued drawdown of the reservoirs, the prolonged low rainfall and with the forecast for further dry weather, the Trust will be implementing temporary closures to navigation between Wigan Flight (from below lock 85) and Gargrave (from below lock 30) commencing on Monday 30 July.

The lock flights at Wigan (locks 65 to 85), Johnsons Hillocks (58 to 64), Blackburn Flight (locks 52 to 57), Barrowford Locks (45 to 51), Greenberfield Locks (42 to 44), Bank Newton Locks (36 to 41) and Gargrave (locks 35 to 30) will be padlocked closed and the gates will be ashed up to reduce leakage.  To prevent unauthorised use, measures will be taken to make the locks inoperable.

The last passage for all affected flights will be 3pm on Monday 30 July, with the exception of Barrowford Locks (45 to 51), where the last passage will commence at 2:30pm and Wigan Flight (locks 65 to 85) where the opening times will be as follows:

• 8:30am to 9:30am to facilitate entry onto the flight
• 12:30pm to 1:30pm to facilitate exit from the flight

It’s not clear how long the closure will last for but it’s likely to be throughout August and potentially beyond if there is no significant, sustained rainfall. While the closure will prevent use of that stretch of canal by boats the towpath will remain open for visitors and the local community alike to enjoy.

In the meantime, boaters can help conserve water by:

• Sharing locks where possible and making the best use of the water available.
• Ensuring paddles are fully closed once they’ve passed through a lock.
• Aiming for minimal contact when navigating through locks by ensuring gates are fully open as they pass through. Pushing gates open using a boat can damage the gate lining, increasing its leakage.

Intersection of: Bridge 1, Junction Side Bridge to Bridge on Macclesfield Canal and
Portland Basin – L6 Mooring to Elsan, Bridge 38, Whaley Bridge on Peak Forest Canal

ADVICE (8am Monday 2 July 2018 until further notice)

Precious resource

The long-range forecast for the next couple of months looks dry so if we want to be boating all summer long, as ever we’d better look after the water. With more boats on the network than during the height of the industrial revolution, all boaters need to work together to save water. If you’ve been on the Macclesfield and Peak Forest Canal recently you will be aware of  the THRIFT code which sets out some simple steps that boaters should follow for everyone’s benefit.

THRIFT

Two in a Lock? – Share locks

Help keep it in – Make sure gates and paddles are shut

Report any leaks – tell us

Invite oncoming boats through – Don’t empty or fill locks if someone else can make use of the water

Find another favourite – Explore less busy parts of the network

Think ahead – Plan cruises to minimise use of locks.