Waterways

We invite everyone to join a vibrant celebration along Birmingham’s historic canals — honouring the contributions, cultures, and stories of Black communities that have helped shape the region’s waterways. The event will take place on Saturday 25 October at Brindley Place in central Birmingham, featuring live music, storytelling, community art, spoken word performances, guided heritage walks,…

Today we welcome Campbell Robb who joins our charity as chief executive, after six years leading the social justice charity Nacro. Campbell Robb Before joining Nacro, Campbell was chief executive of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust, steering the organisation through a significant change programme. Prior to this he spent seven years…

Polyboatglobal.com is not only about widening the uses of pleasure-boating – but also about commercial e-boating, including electric professional fishing vessels. It started in 2008, when the diesel-electric Shinei Maru No. 66 became the world’s first hybrid fishing trawler, operating from Otoshibe, Japan. In Norway, the hybrid-electric Scania-Corvus Angelsen Senior and the Siemens pure-electric Karoline. Norwegian…

We’ve published our Annual Report for 2024/25, which sets out the scale of work undertaken to safeguard the nation’s historic canals and their modern-day contribution to society. Highlights from the report Over the year, and in the face of the rising cost of materials, additional environmental regulation and more extreme weather events, we delivered wide-ranging…

We are to begin the construction phase of a multi-million-pound scheme to upgrade the reservoir. Slaithwaite Reservoir The statutory maintenance and improvement works will strengthen the centuries-old structure against the impacts of climate change and improve the performance of the reservoir’s overflow spillway – which channels away water when the reservoir is full.  History of…

We’re set to deliver a wide-ranging programme of major maintenance and preservation works over the coming winter months to help keep our historic canal network navigable. Works will span 45 canals and rivers and include 137 separate projects at more than 100 locks, 14 bridges, two tunnels and a host of embankments, sluices, culverts and…

We’re starting an eight-week programme of dredging at Gloucester’s historic docks, which will improve conditions for navigation and benefit boaters, local businesses and tourism. Protecting the docks We’re set to remove silt that has entered the docks from the River Severn this summer as water was pumped from the river to ensure the daily water…

We’re opening the doors of some of our Yorkshire & North East premises to the public throughout September, as part of this month’s heritage open days. People can enjoy free behind-the-scenes tours of our lock gate workshop at Stanley Ferry, near Wakefield, on 13 September, and see what happens in the control room at Tees…

We’re installing a series of floating ecosystems on the Nottingham & Beeston Canal as part of a drive to attract more wildlife into the city centre. Volunteers with a planted reedbed We’re installing the ecosystems to soften the edges of the canal walls and attract more birds, bugs and watery wildlife. Giving the canal a…