Publication Data – required under the Defra Grant Agreement
One of the obligations of the Grant Agreement is to publish annually the defined Publication Data which is set out in the table below.
| Measure | Description | Outcome Result |
| Network Stewardship Score | A combined measure of waterway functionality and public benefit as at 31 March 2024. | 140 (2023: 142) |
| Safety | ||
| Number of reported incidents involving customers relating to infrastructure failure | The numbers of injuries where an infrastructure defect was a significant contributory cause, for the year ended 31 March 2024. | 37 (2023: 50) |
| Number of reported incidents involving employees | The numbers of injuries for the year ended 31 March 2024. | 120 (2023:133) total employee recorded injuries of which 5 (2023:6) were HSE Riddor reportable, 3 were “over 7 day” absences (2023: 4), 2 were major Injury (2023: 2) and 0 Deaths (2023: 0). |
| Percentage of waterway assets in Classes D and E* | Based on Principal Asset condition grades. The Relevant Standard is for the aggregate of assets in classes D&E not to exceed 25% of the total. | 13.05% (2023: 12.83%) |
| Towpaths | ||
| Number of towpath visitors (based on annual survey data) | Number of visits and visitors for the year ended 31 March 2024. This is based on a survey of members of the public, expressed in millions. | Total visits 859m (2023: 888m) Average visitors during a two-week period 10.3m (2023: 10.3m) |
| Number and duration of unplanned towpath closures | Defined as unplanned closures that are caused by asset or infrastructure failure for the year ended 31 March 2024. | Number of closures 36 (2023: 10) Number of closure days 370 (2023: 217) |
| Percentage of towpaths in conditions A to C* | The Relevant Standard is no less than 50% aggregate in conditions A to C. | 81.20% (2023: 81.27%). |
| Flood management* | ||
| Percentage of principal culverts and embankments in classes D and E | The Relevant Standard is for the aggregate of flood management assets in classes D and E not to exceed 7% of the total flood management assets. | 0.58% (2023: 0.51%). |
| Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) | ||
| Percentage area of SSSIs under Trust management in favourable or unfavourable recovering condition | The data is available only for sites in England and is obtained from Natural England. It covers a total of 701 (2023: 701) hectares of SSSI sites under the Trust’s management. | Favourable 41.0% (2023: 41.0%) Unfavourable recovering 27.4% (2023: 27.4%) |
| Heritage | ||
| Percentage of Heritage Assets assessed on completion of work as good or adequate with double weighting given to good assessments | This measure includes work on assets that have heritage qualities and is not limited to waterway infrastructure assets only. | 100% (2023: 98%) |
| Volunteer participation | ||
| Number of volunteer days contributed to the Trust | Number of volunteer days for the year ended 31 March 2024. | 98,592 days (2023: 90,323 days) |
| Trust owned housing forecast figures | Based on the property development activity on the Trust’s sites (including joint ventures) – actual for the year ended 31 March 2024 and forecast for the year ending 31 March 2025. (These figures also include development sites previously disposed of by the Trust. These are not formally monitored by the Trust and are reported on the basis agreed previously with the Homes and Communities Agency) | 2023/24: 286 (2022/23: 1,823) residential units completed. 2024/25: 2,042 units are under construction currently. A further 165 units are anticipated to commence construction before April 2025. Approximately 478 units are forecast to be completed in 2024/25. |
- All Principal Waterway Assets are measured and categorised according to condition. A structure in condition A is in a good state of repair and one in condition E is in a bad condition. Embankments and culverts are included within the definition of Principal Assets but towpaths are dealt with as a separate category and are graded according to condition grades from A to E where A is described as very good and E is bad. There is a separate measure of the condition of Flood Management related assets. Together these comprise the Relevant Standards for the purpose of the conditional element of the Defra Grant. The information in the table above demonstrates that the Relevant Standards have been met for the period to 31 March 2024 and accordingly the Trust will apply for payment of the conditional portion of the Defra Grant funding for the year ending 31 March 2024.
The Network Stewardship Score is a combined measure of functionality of, and the public benefit delivered by the waterway network. The baseline index was set at 100 in 2008 and it is calculated annually based on a range of indicators, with good performance being reflected by higher results.
The heritage asset measure in the table above includes the waterway assets categorised as Heritage Assets in the Trust's accounting policies as well as operational and investment properties that have heritage qualities.
Last Edited: 13 August 2024
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