UK: Waterways Development Plans Include Dredging

The Canal and River Trust outlined their plans for investment in the waterways over the next three years. Expenditure will rise to £85.4m this year and continue to rise to £93m in 2016/17.

The bulk of this investment is all targeted around improving and protecting the waterways for boating.

The planned major works expenditure for the year will include:

– £6m for repairing or reconstructing deteriorating embankments and culverts;

– £6m for dredging and wash wall repairs;

– £2m for repairing locks;

– £4.5m for protecting and improving water supply to parts of the network;

– £4.5m for repairing and strengthening bridges, aqueducts, tunnels and cuttings.

Much of the expenditure will be on the canals in the north of England where the percentage of assets in poor condition is highest. This includes major works to fix the leaking Horbury Culvert on the Calder & Hebble Navigation, repairs to the Bosley and Elton reservoirs in the Manchester & Pennines region and works to the Barlow Wood and Calverly embankments on the Peak Forest and Leeds & Liverpool canals respectively.

The dredging works are the next stage in the the enhanced program of £80m over ten years and will include work at 15 locations including the Slough Arm, the Grand Union Canal and the Birmingham Mainline.

[mappress]

Press Release, April 16, 2014