UK canals

  • Marking three years – join the call for fair funding

    Marking three years – join the call for fair funding

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    The Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign celebrated its third anniversary on June 27. LOOKING back, it’s encouraging to see how the campaign has grown in size and scope, and we have gained the support of national and local politicians as well as boaters and other waterway users. Our banners have been seen all over the country,…

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  • River Canal Rescue: Membership misconceptions

    River Canal Rescue: Membership misconceptions

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    Last year, River Canal Rescue responded to 123 major incidents – emergency situations involving mainly grounded boats – and 2057 general call-outs (minor incidents) – for electrical, fuel and engine issues, flat batteries, over-heating and gear box failures etc. That’s over 40 call-outs a week. While the majority of call-outs were covered by RCR’s membership…

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  • Focus on reliability as trust steps up support for boaters

    Focus on reliability as trust steps up support for boaters

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    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…

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  • Canal & River Trust announces changes to executive team

    Canal & River Trust announces changes to executive team

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    Canal & River Trust has announced a streamlined executive team structure that is coming into effect from today, 1 July 2026, as the charity accelerates plans to strengthen the organisation for the future. The changes, first outlined in April, respond to a more challenging operating environment, marked by funding pressures, rising costs, climate change and…

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  • From revival to ruin? IWA presses CRT over delays on Wendover Arm

    From revival to ruin? IWA presses CRT over delays on Wendover Arm

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    The Inland Waterways Association is actively campaigning to resolve the ongoing issues affecting the Wendover Arm, following significant delays and restrictions imposed on its restoration. For many years, the Wendover Canal Trust has led extensive work to restore the previously dry section of the Wendover Arm between Little Tring and Drayton Beauchamp. This has included…

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  • Bridgewater Canal repair programme moves into next phase following Little Bollington breach

    Bridgewater Canal repair programme moves into next phase following Little Bollington breach

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    THE Bridgewater Canal repair programme following the New Year’s Day 2025 breach at Little Bollington has now moved into its next phase, with stabilisation works nearing completion and the formal design process for reinstating the embankment now underway. SLR Consulting appointed as principal consultant As part of this progression, SLR Consulting has been appointed as…

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  • NEARLY 4000 TONNES of Invasive Weed Cleared From UK Canals

    NEARLY 4000 TONNES of Invasive Weed Cleared From UK Canals

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    Nearly 4,000 tonnes of invasive aquatic weed were removed from Britain’s canals and waterways during 2025 by a single contractor, highlighting the growing impact of climate change on one of the UK’s oldest and most important infrastructure networks and underlining the need for urgent action. The scale of the problem has been highlighted by marine…

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  • Britain’s Canals: The Overlooked Lifeline Connecting Wildlife, Wellbeing and Communities

    Britain’s Canals: The Overlooked Lifeline Connecting Wildlife, Wellbeing and Communities

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    A major new report has highlighted how the UK’s historic canal network — the nation’s longest and most connected corridor of freshwater habitat — is one of Britain’s most important yet under-recognised assets for nature recovery, public wellbeing and community connection. The Vital Connector for Nature and People report, published by the Canal & River…

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  • CANAL REOPENS after £850K repair

    CANAL REOPENS after £850K repair

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    Boats have returned to cruising the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire following the completion of an £850,000 repair project to fix a serious breach caused earlier this year. The breach occurred when an old culvert carrying a stream beneath the canal collapsed, damaging the towpath, embankment and canal bed. To carry out the complex repair,…

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  • WIGAN CANAL REOPENS after water main burst

    WIGAN CANAL REOPENS after water main burst

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    Boats have returned to cruising the seven-mile Leigh Branch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in Wigan following its closure in August caused by a burst water main. Engineers from the Canal & River Trust worked closely with United Utilities, which owns the damaged main, to complete a bespoke repair to the canal bank between…

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  • NATIONAL HONOUR for waterways photographer

    NATIONAL HONOUR for waterways photographer

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    National Historic Ships UK, a government-funded but independent organisation, has announced the winners of its annual photography competition celebrating maritime heritage across the UK. The organisation provides objective advice to UK governments and local authorities, funding bodies, and the historic ships sector on all matters relating to historic vessels. Kev, from Tipton in the West…

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  • BREACH at Whitchurch on the Llangollen Canal: what we know so far

    BREACH at Whitchurch on the Llangollen Canal: what we know so far

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    A major embankment failure on the Llangollen Canal at Whitchurch has led to the closure of a key section of the waterway while emergency services and engineers assess the damage and plan repairs. The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday 22 December 2025, close to New Mills Lift Bridge, and resulted in a…

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