Looking back over the summer season, the key issues discussed were around navigation problems arising from the drought and infrastructure failures. Either through actual closures or the sheer difficulties experienced by boaters, parts of the system are becoming no-go areas and this bodes badly for their future. This is particularly true of northern waterways and the point is being made strongly to Canal & River Trust (CRT) that this is not acceptable. Indeed, Navigation Committee submitted a question on behalf of IWA for CRT’s Annual Public Meeting on 20th October on precisely this point.
The main items for discussion were:
- Condition of the waterways
- Environment Agency National Navigation Strategy consultation response
- Canal & River Trust closure of boater facilities
- IWA Silver Propeller Challenge.
- Condition of the Waterways
IWA’s Risk Index tracks the stoppages across the network that have no end date. Currently there are 21 of these indefinite stoppages, fragmenting the network and causing lost opportunities for boaters and businesses. The example of the Rochdale Canal was cited, closed in Manchester since March and now showing obvious signs of neglect.
There are still plenty of closures and restrictions because of low water levels, including for instance Bosley Locks on the Macclesfield Canal and Marple Locks on the Peak Forest Canal. The continuing drought has meant that reservoir levels have not recovered as hoped, and the outlook is not promising. Long-term forecasts suggest similar patterns in 2027 – after the ‘unprecedented’ El Niño likely in autumn, when the Met Office has said to expect anything.
Alongside the weather are the effects of maintenance backlogs and infrastructure failures. Repairs of the major breaches on the Bridgewater and Llangollen canals have been extended. Fallen trees and weed growth have increased. Locks and other assets continue to cause issues. Weed growth has been extensive and there are concerns about possible embankment failures. At the same time CRT is engaged in major change programmes of strategy development, governance review, organisational restructuring and the Transforming Boating programme. The Chief Executive Campbell Robb acknowledges the stress on the organisation but maintains that the scale of the challenge dictates fast movement.
CRT has published a 5-year plan for works scheduled for the next 5 years, which is helpful in principle but needs to allow flexibility to repair in-season failures such as the recent gate failure on the Walsall Canal which Navigation Committee has tracked. Another apparent issue has been differences in approach and urgency between CRT regions. For instance the Bosley and Marple lock flight closures over summer lasted 3 to 4 weeks for repairs which often take a few days further south. These issues are all being followed up with CRT.
CRT’s annual report for 2025/26 was published recently, including a ‘new’ KPI of the number of unplanned stoppages. In fact, CRT has published various measures over the years and the point has been made that the number of unplanned closures is only part of the picture and the duration is also important. The following charts have been compiled for the 2000 miles of the CRT network from data provided to Fund Britain’s Waterways or published by CRT. Clear upward trends are apparent in almost all measures, although it should be borne in mind that the interpretation of the figures is not always unambiguous and CRT has not responded to requests to verify them.
A substantial problem arising from low water levels coupled with a commercial contract for water transfer has arisen at Gloucester Docks. CRT inherited a contract from British Waterways to supply about half of Bristol Water’s drinking water by pumping water from the River Severn through Gloucester Docks and along the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal. With very low and slow flow in the Severn, the result has been a great deal of silt being pumped into the Docks. There has been significant BBC and press coverage of the resulting siltation and its impact on boaters, businesses and the city. The absence of boats in the Docks is affecting tourism and demonstrating the economic benefits of active waterways.
IWA has been urging CRT to clear the immediate problem but also to work with relevant parties to develop a sustainable longer-term solution. CRT has escalated the issue to executive level, in view of the substantial impact, the negative public relations and the possible ramifications for planned water transfer schemes elsewhere. It has announced a doubling of the dredging budget for this year to £4m and work has now started – but there will inevitably be a reduction in the amount available for dredging elsewhere across the network.
- Environment Agency National Navigation Strategy consultation response
The Environment Agency published its draft 5-year National Navigation Strategy and announced a consultation running until 21st October (here). Navigation Committee will be submitting a response on behalf of IWA. While it is a welcome development for EA to publish such a document, and positive that the wider non-boating value of waterways is considered and that navigation assets are linked to management of flood risk and water resources, the Committee discussed areas for improvement. Perhaps the most notable is the absence of any discussion of either the available resources or those required to fulfil statutory obligations or to make improvements.
- Canal & River Trust closure of boater facilities
Following a consultation with boaters in 2022 on the minimum standard for Customer Service Facilities (CSFs), CRT announced that showers, toilets and laundry facilities were deemed non-essential and would be closed across the network from November 2025 and invited expressions of interest from other organisations in running them. Navigation Committee was concerned at the time that the closures appeared rushed, and it was unclear that the published process had been followed, and continues to pursue a set of questions with CRT. Dissatisfaction and discussion have been widespread on social media, particularly about the impact in areas where many boaters have small cruisers in which it is impossible to install usable facilities.
There has been interest in several areas in either IWA Branches or local boat clubs taking over facilities. Navigation Committee welcomed the idea in principle and as a first step will establish the requirements from CRT.
- IWA Silver Propeller Challenge
The Silver Propeller Challenge was launched in January 2018 as a way to encourage boating on underused waterways. The first people to complete the challenge did so in November 2019 and there have been a good number more since then. The idea has become well established and is often seen on social media or heard in conversation around the waterways, but there is potential to do more. Navigation Committee agreed to review ways in which the award could further encourage cruising of lesser-used waters.
OTHER POINTS
- IWA Policy on the Renting of Boats
Navigation Committee had previously agreed to replace the current policy on unauthorised renting of boats with a more positive one setting out what is needed for boats to be legitimately rented. At the meeting a draft policy was approved for recommendation to Trustees.
- Grand Union Canal Water Transfer
Meetings of both the Canal User Working Group and the Canal Business Working Group took place in September. The latter is a new group which has been set up to address topics such as business loss and compensation, maintaining navigation, mitigating disruption and communications during construction. The initial meeting was only sparsely attended but several channels for reaching potential members were identified including IWA. An additional consultation is to be held later this year, although it will not be a full consultation like the last one but a combination of digital materials, engagement with landowners, updates to working groups and offers to meet all parish councils along the route.
- Broads Society
A Broads Society representative attended IWA’s AGM and expressed the Society’s keenness to work closely with IWA. Navigation Committee welcomed the approach and discussions will be progressed.
- Tooley’s Boatyard
Tooley’s Historic Boatyard in Banbury has been badly affected by closures of the Oxford Canal (here). Navigation Committee raised this with CRT as a particularly damaging effect of the low water levels over summer. CRT Business Boating is apparently in discussion with Tooley’s about the way forward.
- CRT Transforming Boating programme
Navigation Committee representatives have attended each of the series of three stakeholder engagement meetings, providing input to the programme manager about the design of the next phase of the consultation. The series of meetings has been repeated for different groups: the National Boating Organisations, the Council Boater Representatives, and the Navigation Advisory Group. A Citizens’ Boater Panel of about 40 volunteers was selected from almost 1200 applicants and is now working though the same material.
- CRT Council
The CRT Council AGM was held at Birmingham City University on 16th September and included an Innovation Showcase and launch of the Innovation Exchange with Innovate UK. Sue O’Hare attended as IWA nominee, as with two Council Boater Representatives meetings. The first was an extraordinary meeting with Campbell Robb (CEO) and Henriette Breukelaar (Interim Chief Customer and Place Officer) on the drought. The second meeting worked through outstanding issues with the very welcome intention to clarify which should be handled by this group, which by the Transforming Boating programme, which by the CRT advisory groups, which by the National Boating Organisations meetings, and which by the 1:1 meetings with individual boating organisations – and as an outcome, to reduce duplication of effort by both CRT and boating organisations.
- Bridgewater Canal breach
Navigation Committee contacted the Bridgewater Canal Company on 18th August asking for an update on progress with reinstating the Bridgewater Canal, in view of the fact that the most recent update on the website was from December 2025. A new update was posted on the website on 21st August. A further enquiry about plans for future maintenance and restoration of Barton Swing Aqueduct has not yet yielded a response.
Forthcoming meetings
- CRT Annual Public Meeting – 20th October
- Grand Union Canal Transfer Canal Section Legacy Working Group Workshop – 20th October (Helen Westlake to represent IWA)
- Navigation Committee online meeting – 25th November
- CRT Council Boater Representatives meeting – 8th December (Sue O’Hare to attend)
- Rescheduled Fund Britain’s Waterways Q&A session with the Environment Agency – 14th December (St Pancras Cruising Club)
Sue O’Hare
Chair of Navigation Committee
16th October 2026
[The photo shows Autumn colours near Burntmill on the River Stort – by Paul McLeod]
The report from the May 2025 Navigation Committee meeting is available here.
The report from the March 2026 Navigation Committee meeting is available here.
The report from the January 2026 Navigation Committee meeting is available here.
Reports from pre-2026 Navigation Committee meetings are available here.
