Among our charity's 2,000 mile network of waterways, our Yorkshire & North East region has been hit hardest by flooding. It's especially heart-breaking to see West Yorkshire's communities and stretches of canal and river once again hit so hard, just four years after the Boxing Day floods in 2015.
Our team has completed inspections across the 316 miles of canals and rivers we look after in this region to record first-hand the impact of the storms and flooding. Our priority is to ensure that the structures, towpaths and navigations along our waterways remain safe and we have put closures in place where necessary. Please see the stoppage notice section on our website for latest details.
Figure of Three Locks
Rochdale Canal and the Calder & Hebble Navigation are the most affected waterways in the region. 250 years old this year, Calder & Hebble Navigation is home to Figure of Three Locks, near Dewsbury. Water overtopping on the bend of the River Calder has caused major damage to the lock and towpath. While our initial estimates indicate Figure of Three Locks will be closed for 12 months and repairs will cost in excess of £2 million, these figures will be refined in the coming weeks with the assistance of our engineers and contractors. At present it is the most damaged single structure on the Trust's entire 2,000 mile network following the recent storms.
Our plans
We are reshaping our plans for the months ahead, to focus efforts on cleaning up debris, fixing minor damage and we'll be setting up projects to deliver the major works now needed to repair our waterways so people can enjoy them again.
As we saw in 2016, getting our towpaths open and boats moving through our canals can play a vital role in helping to get communities back on their feet and our team and volunteers will continue to work hard to achieve this. With more adverse weather forecast, please continue to inform us of any problems you see on our waterways by contacting the customer services team on 0303 040 4040 or by Twitter @CRTcontactus or @CRTYorkshireNE
