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Yorkshire waterways benefit from dredge pledge

17th Oct 2005

After making its ‘Veg Pledge’ last year, British Waterways (BW) Yorkshire is undertaking another programme of works which will bring significant improvements to its boating customers’ experiences of the waterway network – the ‘Dredge Pledge’.

Scheduled works are due to start in the next few weeks and include:-

  • Dredging works on the East end of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal which will improve access to visitor moorings in areas of high demand;
  • Spot dredging along the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation focussing on commercial freight operators’ priority areas;
  • An innovative technique on the South Yorkshire Navigation by BW’s Hydro Team which plots sedimentation to track and target future dredging operations;
  • Removing material from Methley Tip and using this to carry out raising works to the Aire and Calder embankments

The increase in dredging spend reinforces BW’s commitment towards achieving its vision and is an important customer service improvement for boaters.

Laurence Morgan, general manager, British Waterways Yorkshire commented: “The additional spend this year will provide real benefit for leisure and commercial boaters as well as improving the environment and the increase means that we will be investing three times more on dredging this year than last year.

“Investment now is an investment in the future of the waterways, particularly as changes to waste management legislation are increasing the future cost of dredging works. Current negotiations for five year dredging contracts with private sector contractors reinforce our ongoing commitment to the dredging programme.”

BW Yorkshire’s 2005/06 dredging programme has increased to £700,000 compared to its 2004/05 spend of £230,000. Where possible, main channels will be dredged back to original profile and where appropriate an aquatic plant margin maintained at the edges.

Last updated: 22/10/2008