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Caen Hill locks will open for Easter

22nd Mar 2010

British Waterways is pleased to announce that the Caen Hill Flight of Locks will be reopened to the public in time for the traditional start to the outdoor leisure season, the Easter holiday break, on Saturday 27 March, 2010.

The Scheduled Ancient Monument has been closed to both boaters and towpath users since January 2010, whilst a half-a-million pound programme of maintenance works was undertaken.

Caen Hill Locks is a magnificent sight on the Kennet & Avon Canal, which this year is celebrating its bicentenary. The work on the flight is part of a maintenance regime undertaken by British Waterways who manage the canal.

Mark Stephens, British Waterways’ Waterway Manager, Kennet & Avon Canal said: "We had aimed to replace sixteen new gates in this period, but we were unable to start works on-site as planned, due to the canal being completely frozen for nearly two weeks in January.

Canal completely frozen for two weeks

"The team have been working extremely hard, and have managed to replace 12 gates, and carry out essential maintenance to the lock chamber walls whilst the flight was dewatered.

"After discussion with local boat operators, waterway businesses and the Kennet & Avon Canal Trust, we have decided that rather than extend the closure and potentially upset people’s holiday plans, the remainder of the works will take place in the winter works programme later on this year."

Historically canal building and maintenance works were undertaken during the spring and summer months, when the days are longer and the weather both warmer and drier, enabling the 'navvies' to get as much work done as possible.

We have to battle against the weather

Mark Stephens continues: "We strive to undertake the majority of our large scale maintenance tasks during the winter months to enable as many people as possible to enjoy the waterway throughout spring and summer, when most people are keen to be out and about.

"From a construction point of view this means we have to battle against the weather, and this time it really wasn’t on our side."

Bicentenary celebrations

The team at Caen Hill Locks are now ready to welcome the thousands of visitors who come to view the boats travelling up and down the hillside every year. It’s anticipated that the canal’s special 200th birthday will encourage more people to enjoy the waterway this summer. There’s a whole host of activities happening along the canal, for more information visit www.waterscape.com/k&a200

The winter works programme is part of the annual £100 million that British Waterways spends on maintenance of Britain’s 2,200-mile inland waterway network. For every £1.00 that British Waterways spends on the waterways, 33p comes from Government grants, 16p from third party funders, 13p from boaters and 38p from the organisation’s other commercial activities such as property and utilities.

Last updated: 22/02/2011

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