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A new year of public hangings across the waterways

14th Jan 2009

This New Year, British Waterways is carrying out millions of pounds worth of essential repairs across its 2,200 mile network of canals and rivers.

Part of a continual programme of heritage improvements and repairs, the work – on two century-year-old locks, tunnels, bridges, aqueducts and reservoirs – is vital to ensure the waterways are available to be enjoyed by the 11 million people and 30,000 boats that use them each year.

Once the main arteries of the industrial revolution and now an essential part of the nation’s rich heritage, canals are enjoying a vibrant renaissance and are unique in being modern drivers of regeneration, important habitats for wildlife and a key tool in adapting to climate change.

Using skills and techniques passed down by decades of waterway craftsmen, British Waterways (BW) completes the majority of its annual programme of engineering works over the winter – minimising disruption as much as possible for the millions of people who live, visit or work on and by the canals.

"Waterways have been re-discovered"

Robin Evans, BW chief executive comments: "The waterways have been re-discovered and are used more today than at any time in their history, and in ways that the original engineers of the canals could never have envisaged.

"Recent investment by British Waterways means that the network is now in better shape than at any time in decades and delivers exceptional value for the nation. With the majority of our canals approaching their 250th birthdays, it is vital that we continue with a programme of maintenance to keep them open, accessible and in good order. However, with an estimated £30m shortfall in our funding today, it means that we have to make every penny that we earn and spend count."

Each year BW spends around £100m on canal maintenance. A focussed £30m programme of repairs on the historic canal infrastructure this winter, includes the removal of more than 80,000 tonnes of dredgings and the replacement of 200 solid oak lock gates. For every £1 that British Waterways spends on the historic waterway network, 31p comes from Government grants, 22p from third party funders, 12p from boaters and 35p from the organisation’s other commercial activities such as utilities, property and pubs.

British Waterways, is the guardian of over 2,000 miles of canals and rivers in the UK, and the third largest owner of listed buildings in the country. It maintains:

• 1,654 historic locks
• 54 tunnels
• 3,115 bridges
• 417 aqueducts
• 91 reservoirs

Watch video footage of the lock gate replacement at Hatton Locks

Last updated: 20/01/2009