Future use of the canal

Read this page in Welsh / Darllenwch y dudalen hon yn Gymraeg

The end goal for the Montgomery Canal Restoration is the return of navigation by boat. The LUF section of works does not deliver a fully navigable canal, but rather acts as a catalyst to join up the navigable English sections and the navigable section at Welshpool. The restoration of boating is not anticipated in the canal's immediate future.

In the mean-time, the dredged channel, and the newly introduced propagated material will be allowed to establish with regular monitoring. This will also take place in any new reserves created. Once we are confident that these populations are in a good condition, small numbers of boats will be introduced very gradually.

Monitoring will continue to allow us to assess the effects of reintroducing boats. Where the monitoring of the species shows us that we have struck a balance between boating at a sustainable level both ecologically and socioeconomically, the boating numbers will be capped. This allows us to realise the social, economic and ecological possibilities of the canal, with a measured approach informed by the sensitive ecology.