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Following the recent declaration of drought across seven regions in England—prompted by four separate heatwaves and one of the driest periods recorded this century—concerns have intensified about the condition of the country’s waterways. The BBC highlighted growing anxiety among canal users in the Midlands, who fear the already challenging situation will deteriorate further. Both the Canal & River Trust (CRT) and government officials have been called upon to increase their efforts to address these issues.
Currently, several canals and lock flights are subject to significant restrictions and closures. These include Atherstone Lock Flight in Warwickshire; stretches of the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal from Lock 22 at Lapworth to Stratford-upon-Avon; sections of the Grand Union Canal at Hatton Lock Flight between locks 46 and 37 in Warwick; the Caldon Canal between Etruria and Cheddleton in Staffordshire; multiple points along the Trent and Mersey Canal including the section from Meaford Top Lock to Yard Lock in Stone; the Grand Union Canal between Camp Hill Top Lock in Birmingham and Knowle Top Lock; as well as the Wolverhampton, Rushall (Walsall), and Ryders Green Lock Flights in West Bromwich. However, it is important to note that not all of these closures are directly attributed to drought conditions, as ongoing maintenance and repair work have also hindered navigation.
One key figure involved in addressing the crisis is Seward, a member of the steering group for Fund Britain’s Waterways. This group advocates for a parliamentary debate to determine the future direction and funding of the UK’s canal network. Seward recounted his frustrating experience earlier this year during a campaign cruise involving 15 boats headed toward Preston and Lancaster. “The campaign cruise had been ‘thwarted completely by lock closures, failed locks, droughts and failed assets,'” he remarked, illustrating the scale of the challenges boaters are facing.
Seward’s dedication to boating runs deep, having been passionate about it since childhood, through earlier droughts in 1975 and 1976. Yet, he expressed concern about the current state of the canals, noting, “The canal infrastructure is in a far worse state than it was in the 70s and that’s the problem.” He described the locks as leaking extensively and admitted, “Over the last 10 days I’ve seriously thought about the possibility of selling my boat, which I’ve had for 25 years, because I just fear for the long-term sustainability of the canal system.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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