Dredging to keep the River Soar navigable

Boaters in Leicester (UK) will benefit from dredging to keep the River Soar navigable, supporting local communities and wildlife.

Canal and River Trust will work together with specialist contractors to remove over 1,100 tonnes of silt from the river in the city over the next four weeks.

“Dredging is a vital part of the regular cycle of maintenance we are constantly doing to keep our rivers and canals open and available for the benefit of people and nature,” Richard Bennett, the nature recovery manager. “We know from speaking to boaters that these sections of the River Soar are a priority, so we’re really pleased to be able to improve things for them and make a visit to Leicester that bit more appealing.”

The works are being carried out on a 500-meter section of the river at Limekiln Lock, near Abbey Park, as well as at Freemans Meadow Lock, near the King Power Stadium.

The project will improve navigation for boaters, making a visit to Leicester more attractive and providing a welcome boost to local businesses. Once the silt has been removed it will be taken to a specialist waste facility for disposal.