Editor John Sadler writes:
One of the greatest mistakes that boaters can make is to assume that as the network has been there for 200 years it will be there tomorrow.
With continued underfunding some rationalisation of resources will soon be inevitable. Will that be a reduction of ecologists, lawyers, management, engineers or canal closures?
As a result of the near catastrophic failure of Toddbrook reservoir, legislation was introduced to force regular inspection of all reservoirs. To comply, much work has been done reinforcing banks and spillways. In some cases reservoirs have not been filled to capacity to reduce the forces on retaining structures. Although necessary for risk management, the effects of a summer drought were made much more severe by a lack of stored water and led to the closure of large parts of the network.
2025 saw four major canal breaches. Starting with the Bridgewater Canal at Little Bollington near Dunham Massey which is likely to remain closed during 2026 for reconstruction. This canal is owned by Peel Holdings, licensed separately and not maintained by the Canal and River Trust.
In March 2025 the Macclesfield Canal emptied through a culvert failure, CRT were active in quickly rescuing boats that were aground however the damage wasn’t fixed until mid July following a ￡350k repair.
On the 17th July a breach just outside Chester closed the section of canal leading to Ellesmere Port, effectively removing access to the Manchester Ship Canal, which was the last way of getting to the River Weaver following the closure of the Anderton boat lift. Manchester? Well, the hole in the Macclesfield had been repaired but owing to water shortage it was not a viable route.
Then to finish the year we had the Christmas breach of the Llangollen at Whitchurch.
In the West Midlands we also have collapsing bridges to contend with. Last year High Bridge (the famous one on the Shropshire Union with a telegraph pole in the middle) developed some structural damage. Traffic was limited to a single lane while repairs were commenced. When I used the road above, just before Christmas, repairs were still taking place.
Brewood Bridge provides vehicular access to the town but has developed a large hole and is closed to traffic. The canal underneath has been reopened although the towpath remains closed.
Penkridge suffered a similar fate. The bywash under the lock next to the Boat Inn, has collapsed endangering the adjacent house. Emergency services have closed the road and the Staffs and Worcester canal is also closed. Fortunately none of these incidents caused injury but could so easily have done so.
Campbell Robb assured us that ‘…breaches of this scale [the one at Whitchurch] are relatively rare, when they do occur, they’re expensive and complicated to fix’ but for boaters they’re a threat to property, life and certainly navigation.
Campbell has said that he wants to reset the relationship between CRT and the boating community by having open communications. Now would be a good time to start.