Waterways

We’re inviting families and local people to kick-start the summer holidays at a free discover your canal day at Walsall Basin. Walsall Canal Taking place on Thursday 30 July from 10am to 3:30pm, the free fun day will feature a variety of family-friendly activities designed to help people discover their local canal, enjoy the outdoors,…

We’ve launched a new Restoration Delivery Plan alongside the appointment of a senior restoration engineer, setting out a clearer, more structured approach to supporting waterway restoration projects. The plan At the heart of the new plan is a step-by-step process to help restoration groups deliver projects that meet legal and regulatory requirements, with a particular…

We’re inviting boaters to help shape the future of boating on the waterways ahead of a major public consultation in December. The consultation, which will be co-created with boaters over the coming months, forms part of our response to the independent Commission on Boat Licensing, which reported at the end of 2025 and highlighted that…

With World Drowning Prevention Day coming up on 25 July, we’re urging people to stay out of inland waters during the hot weather. Summer is the most popular times for people to visit Britain’s canals and rivers, and we’re expecting many of our waterways to be popular this year, particular during the summer holidays. However,…

We’re today celebrating 15 years of vital support from Postcode Lottery players by announcing “15 locks for 15 years”. This will see brand new, bespoke lock gates manufactured and installed across the canal network this winter, helping ensure the historic canal network remains navigable and available for local communities. A fundamental part of the network…

We’re celebrating ten years of Green Flag Award success, with 758 miles of our waterways now recognised by Keep Britain Tidy for their quality, management and value to local communities. The milestone marks a decade since the Macclesfield Canal became our first canal to receive Green Flag status in 2016, helping to establish canals as…

We’ve published the results of its Annual Boaters’ Survey, with overall satisfaction at 50%, down from 55% in 2025 but remaining above the 2024 low point of 46%. The results The results reflect the impact of one of the most severe UK droughts on record in summer 2025, which led to widespread navigation restrictions and,…

New research shows that the Montgomery Canal restoration project is driving growth in visitor numbers and local spending. Together with Shropshire Council and the Montgomery Canal Partnership, we have welcomed new research showing that investment in restoring the Montgomery Canal in Shropshire is delivering additional economic benefits. Visitor numbers are rising, more people are staying…