This week we celebrated the reopening of the Walsall Canal to boats after a serious pollution incident by a canal-side business in August 2024 caused its dramatic closure. Up to 4,000 litres of highly toxic zinc cyanide solution had entered the canal at Pleck devastating wildlife and causing a multi-agency emergency response. To contain the pollution, an initial 12-mile stretch of the navigation and towpath was immediately closed.
Our teams, along with those of the Environment Agency, Walsall and Sandwell Councils, UK Health and Safety Agency, emergency services, Severn Trent Water and contractors working on behalf of the polluter, worked tirelessly to limit the spread of the spill.
Thanks to that swift action, the canal closure was quickly reduced to a one mile stretch from Pleck to Walsall Top Lock at Birchills and the towpath was reopened several weeks later when chemical levels had been tested and were at a consistently safe level.
The canal has been dredged to remove cyanide-contaminated silt, further reducing risks to wildlife and aiding ecological recovery. Approximately 526 tonnes of silt have been removed and safely disposed.
Henriette Breukelaar, our charity’s director for the West Midlands, said: “After many months of closure, I am delighted to reopen the Walsall Canal to our boating community. It has taken significant time and resources to remove the toxins, and I thank boaters for their patience during the cleanup.
Lee Bates, area operations manager, Ed James BBC Radio WM and Cllr Louise Harrison, Mayor of Walsall (1)
“This incident has had a lasting impact on the canal's ecology, but our team acted swiftly to contain the pollution and prevent further damage to wildlife. The cleanup has so far cost our charity £100k’s of funds that would have been used to repair our canals. We are seeking to reclaim this money from the polluting company and invest it in caring for the canals in the West Midlands.
“We will continue to closely monitor the canal to ensure no further harm comes to wildlife. The extraordinary scale and nature of this pollution incident means we can’t be certain how long it will take for fish and other wildlife to fully recover. We will therefore continue to closely monitor the canal to make sure we remain on track to see this beautiful and much-loved stretch of canal make a full recovery for boaters and local communities to fully enjoy.”
Councillor Adrian Andrew, Associate Leader at Walsall Council, said: “A lot of work has gone into getting us to the position to reopen the canal.
“Amid a devastating chemical spill, the partners who have been involved throughout stepped up to keep the public safe and to minimise the long-term impacts.
“Despite the situation, this reopening is something to be celebrated. I know our canals are important to many people, and it is a great relief they can now be enjoyed once more.”
The Environment Agency investigation into the incident continues.
The network’s water resources
It wouldn’t have gone unnoticed that spring was exceptionally dry and sunny. While most of us enjoyed soaking up the rays, our hydrology team was carefully managing the water resources needed for navigation. In the video below, Adam Comerford, our national hydrology manager, gives an update on where we are at the moment:
Mending the Macclesfield
As you may have read in the last edition work has progressed well to fix the breach on the Macclesfield Canal.
After installing a 400m track to access the remote site, excavation works to the embankment, towpath and canal bed have been completed and work to rebuild the canal bed is now in progress. This will involve lining the bed with clay and compacting it, followed by testing to ensure it is watertight.
Further south on the canal, between Bridge 51 (Cowley Bridge) and Bosley Lock 12 where the canal is still in water, we’ve been working to repair a further leak in the centuries-old canal bed. The gallery below shows that it’s quite a complex affair.
We’ve identified leaks in the puddle clay bed of the canal. The one shown at the interface between the washwall and clay bed has mostly been dealt with thanks to a four-metre clay fillet. However, despite using over 17 tons of puddling clay elsewhere, this has been partially successful in slowing the flow of water from another leak – not enough to allow the canal to remain open.
As a result, we need to drain the affected section of the canal. Dams are being installed on Monday 9 June, following which we will carry out a fish rescue while we drain the section to allow us to investigate and create a method of repair.
We will be installing pumps to help maintain the water levels either side of the works.
We are doing everything we can to reopen the canal as quickly as possible. Once the area is drained and fully assessed, and a repair developed, we will provide a timeline for the completion of repairs.
Repairing leak in canal bed at Bollington, Macclesfield Canal (3)
Working on the Worcester & Birmingham
Another update you may have read was at the tail end of April about the work at Tardebigge Top Lock, the third deepest in the country. Since then the front facing brickwork of the chamber has been carefully removed brick by brick down to a depth of more than three metres.
The lock is listed and an important piece of canal heritage so wherever we can we are saving bricks to be reused, once they’ve been refurbished (more on this in a future edition). Where we need to use new bricks, we have built several ‘test walls’ to see which are the best match – all of our work has been overseen by the local council’s conservation officer and we now have Listed Building Consent continue with the programme of work.
This programme remains on schedule and we are on track to reopen the navigation in August. There’ll be a comprehensive video update later in the month but, having visited the site recently, check out the images below, the scale of works has to be seen to be believed!
Massive works underway at Tardebigge Top Lock, Worcester & Birmingham Canal (6)
Maintenance, repair and restoration work this weekend
As you’ll know, there are times when parts of such an old network need unscheduled work to keep them open and navigable. It’s a 200+ year old living, breathing national treasure that takes a lot of TLC. This is why, when something is damaged or breaks, we set about getting it repaired and operational as soon as we can. This means that from time to time we have to carry out repairs outside of our major winter stoppage programme. So below, you’ll find a list of navigations that have ongoing restrictions that may affect you if you’re planning to get out on the water this weekend:
When restrictions to navigation happen, we get them up on to our website as soon as we can – always best to have a scan before you set off. You can find out how to get stoppage notification alerts on your smartphone in this article.
If you have any questions about a specific closure, or spot an error in our system, please get in touch.
Winter stoppage consultation
As you may know, we plan-out and prioritise the winter repairs programme so that every penny of spend counts. The first round of consultation for the forthcoming winter stoppage programme closed last week (30 May).
We’re now reviewing the feedback and will publish a revised plan at the end of this month so that, should you want to, you’ll be able to give more feedback. As you’ll expect, I’ll make sure I mention it when the time comes!
Richard Parry reflects on 12 years at the tiller
Nearly 25,000 people visited the 25th Crick Boat Show, the UK’s largest inland waterways festival, which took place at Crick Marina near Daventry, across the Bank Holiday weekend 23-26 May 2025.
One highlight of the weekend, among many, was outgoing chief executive, Richard Parry, talking to show director Peter Johns as he reflected on his 12-year tenure as well looking forward to the future of the canal network. In the first three, of a series continuing in each edition, you can watch Richard discuss why he chose to get all around the network early on in his tenure:
Here's Richard discussing how he engaged with everyone from volunteers and boaters through to Members of Parliament:
And, finally for this edition, Richard discusses some of the most rewarding aspects of leading the Trust:
Show a resounding success
Peter Johns, also publisher of Waterways World, says: “Crick Boat Show is the focal point of the year for the inland waterways bringing together the whole waterway community. Boat owners and prospective boat owners get the chance to meet the country’s top boat builders and suppliers of boating equipment and services in one fabulous location.
“Boat builders reported healthy levels of interest, with many orders secured. Whatever stage of someone’s planning for boat ownership, the Show had something to offer. Almost 1,200 enjoyed free boat trips along the Grand Union Canal Leicester Line, thanks to ABC Boat Hire and London Narrowboat Project, and more than 3,000 attended the free seminars and masterclasses on boat ownership.
“As well as showcasing the boating industry, the Show is an opportunity for the inland boating world to come together to meet old friends and make new ones. With almost 100 visiting boats moored alongside the Grand Union Canal towpath next to the Show, and a packed campsite with over 300 caravans and tents, all supported by our fantastic team of 50 volunteers, the whole event has a great community spirit feeling.
“Crick Music Festival in association with Aquavista, saw a brilliant line up of new and established artists, culminating in the headline acts of ABBA Revival and Dan Budd as Robbie Williams. The Real Ale & Cider Festival sponsored by LeeSan saw visitors enjoying a great range of brews from local breweries.”
Paul Knox-Johnston of show sponsors Haven Knox-Johnston added: “Crick Boat Show 2025 was a truly amazing event from start to finish. Great visitors, great events and great entertainment. It’s down to the hard work of the organisers and their army of volunteers that make this event possible and we should be grateful for that.”
Alex Hennessey, national boating manager at our charity, adds: “We are delighted to have once again been a partner in the Crick Boat Show. Over the four show days, our team welcomed over 2,000 boaters and waterways enthusiasts to the Canal & River Trust’s marquee, where staff and volunteers highlighted the diverse range of work the UK’s largest canal charity to care for its 2,000-mile network of inland waterways.
“The Trust's historic narrowboat 'Sculptor' and brand-new piling workboat generated lots of interest, and boaters could try for themselves a prototype of the accessible mooring bollard, after a timely TV appearance earlier in the week.”
Go Electrik
Building on the success of last year's pioneering event, Electrika 2025 will have twice the number of exhibitors and ten show boats on the water at Brinklow Waterside & Marina.
With more and more electric narrowboats on the canal network and increasing interest in more sustainable boating, Electrika aims to encourage and support the wider adoption of electric propulsion on the UK waterways.
With 15 new exhibitors, a full fleet of 10 showboats and entertainment on both nights, Electrika 2025 is bigger, better and definitely the "go to show" for anyone interested in electric narrowboats.
For more information and to get your free ticket(s) please visit https://electrika.uk.
Last Edited: 06 June 2025
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