Inland Waterways Association

Trust accused of ‘abandoning restoration’ as flagship projects stall

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March 12, 2026

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) has challenged the Canal & River Trust’s draft Restoration Delivery Plan, arguing that restoration is being treated as a low priority. The organisation says several major projects have stalled and has raised concerns about new financial and administrative requirements for volunteer restoration groups. IWA challenges Restoration Delivery Plan THE IWA…
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Campaigners Renew Calls for Long-Term Waterways Funding After £6.5m Government Boost

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February 26, 2026

CAMPAIGNERS responding to the Government’s extra £6.5 million investment in England’s and Wales’s canal network are once more calling for a top-level rethink into how waterways are funded. They say although the boost is welcome, it yet again underlines the ongoing underfunding crisis – and warn that this is only a one-off payment, not systemic…
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£220k project to restore historic water-saving canal engineering at Hanwell

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February 20, 2026

Work underway on a Historic England-funded project to restore 200-year-old side ponds at the Hanwell Flight of Locks in West London. The initiative follows a year of navigation closures caused by drought and climate change and focuses on locks 94 and 95. The scheme is supported by Historic England, the Inland Waterways Association and the…
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From industrial lifeline to revival

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February 13, 2026

Early industrial achievement THE Stroudwater Canal, completed in 1779, stands as one of Gloucestershire’s earliest and most significant industrial achievements. Designed to connect the River Severn at Framilode with the market town of Stroud, it was conceived and financed by local merchants and mill owners seeking a reliable route for transporting coal, stone, and timber…
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IWA Pushes for Higher Clearance on New Exeter Ship Canal Bridges

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January 7, 2026

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) is calling for increased air draft clearance on replacement bridges planned for the Exeter Ship Canal, as Devon County Council moves forward with proposals to renew two ageing structures on the A379. The council intends to replace the existing westbound steel swing bridge, dating from the 1930s, and the eastbound…
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SHROPSHIRE COUNCILLORS Tour Montgomery Canal Restoration with Volunteer

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January 6, 2026

Senior councillors from Shropshire Council have taken part in an introductory boat tour of the Montgomery Canal, hosted by the Montgomery Canal appeal and restoration groups. The visit marked the first opportunity for senior councillors to view restoration work on the Montgomery Canal since political control of the council changed following local elections in May.…
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CLIMATE CHANGE RISKS to UK Waterways Raised in Parliament

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December 18, 2025

Members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Waterways have heard urgent expert evidence on the growing impacts of climate change on the UK’s inland waterways, including canals, rivers and low-lying navigation systems. Meeting under the secretariat of the Inland Waterways Association (IWA), the APPG received evidence from the Canal & River Trust (CRT)…
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NAVIGATION CHARGES on the Broads welcomed by IWA

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December 17, 2025

The Broads Authority has invited public comment on proposals for a below-inflation increase in boat tolls for 2026/27, alongside planned investment in navigation improvements across the Broads. Under the proposal, boat tolls would rise by 2.5%, despite a continuing decline in boat numbers. The authority says this has been made possible following recognition by Defra…
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DUAL CRISIS and ‘irreversible decline’…

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December 6, 2025

Campaigners warn three quarters of Britain’s canals face ‘dual crisis and irreversible decline’ The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) is calling for an urgent government review after issuing a stark warning that 75% of Britain’s waterways are now at serious risk due to a “perfect storm” of chronic underinvestment and escalating climate impacts. The country is…
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RIVERSIDE REGENERATION celebrated in new film

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November 7, 2025

THE traditional market town of Langport, in Somerset, has been given a new lease of life thanks to its revitalized riverside. The £300,000 Langport River Project has transformed 7.6 miles of river into a visitor destination, attracting about 250,000 people a year, helping new cafés, shops and services thrive. Community Cocklemoor meadow and Huish Bridge…
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AWARDS for those working to keep waterways alive

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November 6, 2025

The IWA’s 66th annual general meeting at the Jubilee Conference Centre, Nottingham, welcomed more than 100 attendees in person and online – and also celebrated waterways excellence through the presentation of awards. IWA’s Amy Tillson reports… NATIONAL chair Mike Wills opened the event, followed by campaigns and public affairs director Charlie Norman outlining campaigning priorities…
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LOCK CLOSURE forces more lorries onto Yorkshire’s roads

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November 4, 2025

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…
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WATERWAY RESTORATION conference a success

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July 7, 2025

THE Annual Waterway Restoration Conference at the National Waterways Museum was jointly organised by IWA and Canal & River Trust. IWA’s Amy Tillson reports… A packed audience attended this event, held at the historic venue at Ellesmere Port on April 26. Special thanks go to the excellent speakers and compere who made the conference inspiring…
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IWA urges ‘joined-up’ thinking in water review

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Mark Lancaster

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June 11, 2025

THE IWA has submitted a response to the Call for Evidence issued by the Independent Water Commission. The commission was launched by the UK and Welsh Governments in October 2024 and is chaired by Sir Jon Cunliffe, a former deputy governor of the Bank of England. It is tasked with carrying out the largest review…
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