The charity making life better by water
Making life better by water
Rescued boats, money for moving water, our NAG and much more in latest edition.
Just as the last Boaters’ Update was ‘going to print’ we were in the midst of the delicate recovery of the three boats in the breach site on the Llangollen Canal. Thankfully all three have now been recovered and refloated.
As the video below shows it was a complex operation that involved reshaping the breach walls into a gentle slope to enable the boats to be carefully winched to safety.
Our teams are ensuring that pipes and pumps are in place to safeguard a continued flow of water around the breach site, so boats downstream are kept afloat. This is also important because of the role the Llangollen Canal (along with others across the UK, see article below) plays today in moving fresh water for public water supply.
Julie Sharman, our chief operating officer, said: “We know how deeply distressing this breach has been for the boaters and local community. After initially making sure everyone was safe, a key area of focus has been recovering the last boats impacted, ahead of the long and expensive job of getting the canal rebuilt and back open. I’d like to thank all those who have supported, including all who donated to assist the boaters affected, as well as those donating to our longer-term task of getting this historic canal back open in the weeks and months ahead.
“As you can imagine, the reasons behind embankment failures are complex and not always immediately clear so we are undertaking a full and robust investigation as to the cause. We will of course share the findings publicly in the coming weeks”
For more information and boating FAQs, please visit our dedicated webpage.
A phase of consultation on the Grand Union Canal Transfer will be starting next month. More information on the proposals will be shared on Wednesday 11 February, with feedback invited until Thursday 2 April.
The Grand Union Canal Transfer is a vital new scheme to bring water from the Midlands to the Southeast. It’s a joint water transfer project between two water companies, Severn Trent and Affinity Water, and ourselves.
Of course, this is great news for those in the Southeast who’ll have a more dependable water supply but, by utilising the canals, the scheme also brings significant benefits to boaters in a few ways.
More water will be available for navigation, infrastructure will be upgraded to be more resilient (and our partners will have a long-term interest in looking after it) and, crucially, it’ll provide a revenue stream for years to come that can be reinvested in future maintenance.
The proposals include transferring water by a new pipeline from Minworth (near Birmingham) to the Coventry Canal at Atherstone. From here, it will begin its journey along the Coventry, Oxford and Grand Union canals. Water will then be transferred by a pipeline from the Grand Union Canal just south of Milton Keynes – via new water treatment works – to an existing covered reservoir near Luton.
The Grand Union Canal Transfer is being developed to protect the environment and maintain water supply. This is in response to increasing pressure from population growth and the effects of climate change.
Specifically, the transfer will improve the resilience of the drinking water supply to customers of Affinity Water in the Southeast. This is an area historically supplied from chalk stream catchments, and so the scheme would allow for more water to be left in chalk streams.
You can find out more information about the Grand Union Canal Transfer on the dedicated project website: guctransfer.co.uk. More information on the latest proposals for the project will be published on this website at the start of the consultation period on 11 February.
Following this, there will be a seven-week period for anyone interested in the project to review the materials and submit their feedback. You can provide feedback online (via guctransfer.co.uk), by email ([email protected]), or in writing (by posting a hard copy feedback form or written response to Freepost GRAND UNION CANAL TRANSFER).
All comments should be submitted on or before Thursday 2 April 2026.
You’ll also be able to meet members of the project team and find out more information by attending a public information event. A series of consultation and pop-up events are being held at various locations along the route. The full programme of public information events can be found on the project website.
You can also register to receive regular updates about the scheme at: guctransfer.co.uk/contact-us/
In the decade and a half that I’ve been talking to boaters, we’ve had a consistent mantra – boaters are at the core of what makes the network wonderful. Without boats, and boaters, cruising around, the cut would become an inert, less vibrant, network.
I’ve often thought that we need boaters as much as you need us to maintain navigations. However, for those who don’t own or hire boats, the network brings many other benefits aside from a wellbeing boost that comes with a bimble down a towpath.
Here are just some of them from our 2024/25 Impact Report:
Our new chief executive, Campbell Robb, says our commitment to this societal impact will only get stronger: “It’s a privilege to join the Canal & River Trust and to see, even in my first few months, the extraordinary passion, skill and dedication of everyone who helps care for our canal network.
“This impact report captures that spirit, the stories, the partnerships and the quiet, dedicated work that makes such a visible difference to people’s lives. Our canals are national treasures, built by hand centuries ago, now repurposed for hope and renewal. They carry with them the potential to connect us in ways our modern world so often forgets: to one another, to nature and to the places we call home.
“As I begin my time with the Trust, I am inspired by what’s already been achieved and energised by the opportunities ahead. The challenges ahead are real; climate change, funding pressures and growing demands on our blue and green spaces — yet our resolve is stronger than ever. We will continue to stand for connection, resilience and hope to ensure everyone can share in the benefits of our canal network.
“Together with our volunteers, partners, funders and supporters, we can ensure these living waterways continue to transform places and enrich lives for generations to come. Thank you for everything you do to keep them flowing — for people, for boats, for nature and for a brighter, more connected future.”
We’re not perfect. We appreciate that getting a collective, expert, second pair of eyes on some of our decisions means that, where we need to and can, we’re able to adapt our choices to give the best outcome for boaters.
There are several ways we do this with the people who live, work and boat on our 2,000-mile network, but one key way we do this is through our Navigation Advisory Group (NAG).
Our Main Navigation Advisory Group is chaired by Mike Carter, whose family has been involved in canals and narrowboats since the early 1950s. For the past 25 years, Mike has led a vessel surveying and marine consultancy practice, working with private and commercial clients across the canal network. He brings a wealth of experience to the role.
The NAG brings together boaters from a wide range of backgrounds to ensure we hear diverse perspectives. The group meets around four times a year with us, facilitated by our national boating team and members of our executive team. These meetings help us sense-check important decisions and better understand their potential impact on boating customers.
The group provides advice on a wide range of topics, from safety and customer service standards to waterway operations, maintenance and repairs.
As mentioned in the previous article, maintaining canals and rivers for safe and enjoyable boating is at the core of what we do, and the Navigation Advisory Group helps ensure our managers’ decisions are informed by those who navigate the waterways regularly.
Alongside the main group, we also have a number of subject-specific sub-groups that can explore issues in more detail. These currently cover communications, mooring, vegetation, stoppages and dredging.
While we’re not actively recruiting for the main Navigation Advisory Group at the moment, members are appointed for fixed terms, so we’re always keen to hear from a broad range of boaters who may wish to volunteer in the future. Our sub-groups can particularly benefit from boaters with specific skills or interests, and we’d love to hear from you if one of these areas appeals.
The work of the NAG relies on a wide mix of skills, experience and knowledge of boating and the waterways. If you’re interested, you can read more in the NAG terms of reference and register your interest by completing the ‘sign up for this opportunity’ form, both found here.
We’ll keep your details on file and contact you if a suitable vacancy arises that matches the skills you can offer. Thank you for helping us shape the future of our waterways.
As you’ll know, our major winter repair and restoration programme is underway. This means there will be more closures than usual as we replace lock gates, mend sluices and complete a whole range of jobs to prepare the network for next year’s cruising. You can find out where we’ve started work with this link.
Of course, as we enter the more volatile months of winter there’s a higher chance of extreme weather which may also impact navigation.
When this does happen, or we have to unexpectedly repair something, we get notices up on to our website as soon as we can – it’s always best to have a scan while you’re planning your cruise and also just before you set off. You can find out how to get stoppage notification alerts on your smartphone in this article.
Follow this link to see where navigations are shut this weekend.
If you have any questions about a specific closure, or spot an error in our system, please get in touch.
The Residential Boat Owners’ Association (RBOA) has announced a public forum to examine the findings of the independent boat licensing review commissioned by Canal & River Trust and to consider the RBOA’s and the wider liveaboard communities’ response to its recommendations for life on the waterways.
Scheduled for 31 January 2026, the meeting will provide a structured overview of the Commission’s proposals, followed by a moderated discussion aimed at exploring how the recommendations may affect different boating communities. Penny Barber, one of the three commissioners who authored the review is joining the debate and will answer questions from attendees.
The RBOA is inviting participation from residential boaters, leisure users, organisations, and other stakeholders with an interest in licensing policy.
The event which is free of cost to participants will be delivered in a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and online participation, and is open to members and non-members alike.
Visit rboa.org.uk for more information and to register your attendance.
Last Edited: 29 January 2026
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