Waterways

The National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port, home to the largest collection of historic boats, celebrates its golden anniversary in 2026 with a host of exciting events and new restoration projects. The museum started life in the 1970s as an amazing volunteer regeneration effort led by a group of canal enthusiasts determined to preserve the derelict…

We’ve started a three and a half-month dredging programme along the North Stratford Canal. This specialist project is part of the Trust’s ongoing work to keep the 200-year-old canal navigable for boaters. Silt will be removed from over ten miles of the canal from Kings Norton Junction to Lapworth Lock. This will improve navigation along…

Boats can return to the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire following a major £850k project to repair a breach caused earlier this year when an old culvert carrying a stream under the canal collapsed. Shropshire Union Canal culvert repair The repair to the canal, just north of Chester between Knolls Bridge and Backford Bridge, required…

Halloween, involving witches, glowing pumpkins and trick or treating has been enjoyed on land and afloat and Polyboatglobal.com has found evidence of electric boats being used for the spooky fun! Their silence enables sudden screams to be more frightening and the chanting of spells to be better heard by the spirits. “Hubble Bubble” At the…

We’re today announcing that it will be prioritising the programme of works at Anderton Boat Lift during the year ahead that will see the ‘Cathedral of the Canals’ back open and operational for boaters. The investment will enable the lift to transfer boats between the Trent & Mersey Canal and the River Weaver once again…

Boats can return to cruising the seven-mile length of the Leigh Branch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in Wigan as it reopens following a large water main burst in August. United Utilities burst water main repairs on Leigh Branch Our engineers worked closely with United Utilities, who owns the water main, to carry out…

The report of the independent Commission set up to review the legal framework around boat licensing has been welcomed by our Board, which thanks the Commissioners and endorses the report’s analysis The review The report concluded that boat licensing needs reform to reflect the current and future use of the waterways and noted the considerable…

We’re today announcing an increase in boat licence fees for both private boat owners and boating businesses of 4.85% from 1 April 2026. The rise is based on Bank of England forecasts that inflation will remain at around 3.8% through until April 2026. Surcharges for boats without a home mooring and wide beam boats, introduced from…

Our report shines a light on how the nation’s former industrial canal network is one of its greatest, yet under-recognised, assets for wildlife and for connecting people with nature. The UK faces an unprecedented convergence of crises: a decline in biodiversity, people losing their connection to nature, and widening wellbeing inequalities. The Vital Connector for Nature…

We’re celebrating the outstanding contribution of volunteers as it completes its annual volunteer awards. The awards, made with the Marsh Charitable Trust, recognise teams and individuals across our 250-year-old navigable network. A great success story Volunteering has been one of our great success stories since our formation in 2012, with around 5,500 people now regularly…