The Environment Agency (EA) and Canal & River Trust (the Trust) have established a joint working group to explore different options for running the 620 miles of EA-managed river navigations.  It still remains the Government’s ambition to transfer the EA’s responsibility for navigation of the rivers to the Trust, subject to affordability and approval by the Trust’s Board and the Minister.  This will help realise the benefits of a sustainable navigation and give the public greater involvement in the running of the waterways.

The working group is at a very early, information gathering stage, and no decisions have yet been made on the details of a potential move.

The working group will begin with an information and data gathering exercise looking at all of the EA’s navigations, including: the non-tidal River Thames; the River Wye; the upper Medway; the East Anglian navigations and Rye Harbour. 

As the project moves forward the working group will investigate the various potential options required for such a complex move and will be seeking to understand your views and aspirations as well as those of other stakeholders.  

In the mean time, please contact Mark Ormrod, Environment & Business Manager – Navigation, if you have any questions: mark.ormrod@environment-agency.gov.uk

The EA, the Trust and Defra are committed to finding a sustainable future for the EA’s river navigations and to working with the communities who use them.