9 December 2009 – The programme is part of c. £100 million spent each year by British Waterways maintaining the network and is funded through a combination of Government grants and the income British Waterways generates from things such as property and boat licenses. Inspection and repair works this winter range from iconic aqueducts and lock flights to humble canal bridges, with highlights including:
- Draining Thomas Telford’s famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal to allow a thorough inspection and cleaning of the structure: the site was this year awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status
- Replacing the sea gates at Sharpness Docks: each gate weighs approx 75 tonnes and the new ones are being fabricated in Holland and will be shipped across the Channel (January 2010 TBC)
- Repairs to a bridge on the Grand Union Leicester Line: the bridge contains a bat roost and British Waterways will be installing a number of ‘bat bricks’ — bats are protected species in the UK (November – December 2009)
- Reconstruction of a listed 17th century accommodation bridge on the Trent & Mersey Canal: the bridge will be rebuilt sympathetically using lime mortar and reclaimed bricks (January – February 2010)
- Four sets of hand crafted lock gates to be replaced at Newlay Locks, a three-rise lock flight on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal (January – March 2010)
Jim Stirling, British Waterways’ technical director, said: “There has been a significant improvement in the condition of British Waterways’ locks, bridges, aqueducts and canal embankments in recent years, and the network is busier than at any time in living memory. As the network gets older, however, it becomes more expensive to maintain and forced closures, which were commonplace just 20 years ago, still happen. The network is under funded by around £30 million each year and so it is vital that we make every penny count.
“This winter we are prioritising spend to ensure more than £60 million of winter works. As well as undertaking vital repairs and maintenance we will also be carrying out the essential inspections that are necessary to ensure the continuing health of our canals and rivers. In some cases, as with the spectacular Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, this is only possible by draining the water, which provides a fascinating glimpse into what goes on below the surface.”
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.
British Waterways is the third largest owner of listed buildings in the country. It maintains:
- 1,654 locks
- 54 tunnels
- 3,115 bridges
- 417 aqueducts
- 91 reservoirs
CONTACT
Fran Read, British Waterways
Tel. +44 020 7985 7263
M. +44 07796 610 427
fran.read@britishwaterways.co.uk
