Dredging included in the North West waterways project

Canal & River Trust will invest £15 million this winter in the North West, carrying out essential repairs, upgrades and maintenance work.

As part of the four-month programme, which is due to finish in mid-March, the expert engineering teams are replacing worn-out lock gates, dredging waterways and carrying out a host of tasks to keep the 200-year old network in good working order.

Work has included major projects on the Ashton, Huddersfield Narrow, Lancaster, Leeds & Liverpool, Rochdale and Shropshire Union canals, plus the Ribble Link, near Preston.

Daniel Greenhalgh, North West regional director for the Canal & River Trust, said: “With many of the regions’ canals constructed over two centuries ago, it’s important to stay on top of regular maintenance and keep the waterways in good condition. We always try to minimise inconvenience to boaters by carrying out this routine work in the winter months.”

In total, Canal & River Trust will this winter invest more than £45m on maintenance work across its 2,000 miles of waterways in England and Wales.