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Shrewsbury & Newport Canals

Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust is working in three different areas to restore these canals. Berwick Tunnel near Uffington, Wappenshall Wharf north of Telford and in Newport.

The ultimate aim is to reopen the entire 25 miles to full navigation.

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Berwick Tunnel

The aim is to open a site to the west of the Berwick Tunnel as a local attraction, restoring the tunnel portal and adjacent lengthsman’s hut and creating an accessible path along both sides of the canal to make a circular walk. This will hopefully raise awareness of the canal and gain support for the eventual reopening to navigation. Also, the south portal has been worked on to open the towpath from the Uffington Road, through Widow’s Bridge up to the portal.

Photo: Restored towpath. Photo courtesy SNCT.

 

Wappenshall Wharf

This is the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust’s “Flagship” project. It will see two fine Grade II Listed warehouses restored to become a visitor centre, with a quality café and the East basin re-watered. There will be space for local businesses and the community to meet, plus numerous special events. Funds raised from the café and from paying visitors will be used to then restore the canals themselves.

Newport

The Trust has already carried out work at Forton Aqueduct east of Newport, with the short-term target of re-watering this length. The medium term goal is to reopen the canal from Norbury to Newport. Work has also taken place on the Newport section that is still in water. This project has seen volunteers building a new bridge at Meretown, preparing the canal bed and towpath to extend the watered section to the A41 in readiness to restore the canal under this road to connect with the Forton section.

Photo: Restored basin wall at Wappenshall Wharf. Photo courtesy SNCT.

Waterway notes

Group

Branch

Waterway underfunding

Hundreds of miles of waterways – along with their unique heritage and habitats – are currently starved of funding and rely on constant lobbying by us to safeguard their future.

Sustainable Boating

We want boating on canals and rivers to be more sustainable and – even though the current overall contribution to UK carbon emissions is very small – we want to help reduce emissions on the waterways.

Waterways Heritage at Risk

Britain’s canals and rivers are a unique, living heritage. But that heritage is at risk – from urban development, lack of protection, loss of skills and knowledge and climate change.

You can help Save Waterways Heritage.

Waterway restoration

Restoring the UK’s blue infrastructure – our inherited network of navigable canals and rivers – is good for people and places.

LOVE YOUR WATERWAYS

Britain's waterways are vital; together we can campaign for them now and for the future.