Atherstone Lock Flight

While water levels on the Coventry Canal around Atherstone may appear plentiful, the challenge is not simply the amount of water in the canal itself but having enough water available to operate the locks safely and sustainably.

The lock flight at Atherstone requires around 20 megalitres of water each day to operate. The main water supplies for the Coventry and Ashby canals come from the River Swift near Rugby and the Griff Feeder in Nuneaton. At present, neither source is providing the volume of water needed to support the reopening of the locks.

Our teams monitor water levels and river flows daily. Once the water supply from these sources is consistently high enough to support lock operations, the restrictions will be lifted, and the locks will reopen to boating.

We appreciate that, to many boaters, the canal may look as though it has plenty of water. However, managing a canal network relies on a reliable and sustainable supply to replace the water used each time a lock operates.

We would like to thank boaters for their patience and understanding while we continue to monitor conditions and work towards reopening the navigation as soon as possible.

Due to the drought conditions affecting most of England, Atherstone Lock Flight remains closed.

We are continuing to monitor conditions and will update this notice as the situation develops.

Please note the final entry onto the Atherstone Lock Flight will be 12 noon tomorrow.

Due to continued dry weather and the ongoing pressures on water resources across the network, we have taken the difficult decision to close the Atherstone Lock Flight to navigation from Tuesday 4 August until further notice.

The closure follows the temporary operating restrictions introduced on 28 July 2026, which reduced lock operating hours to help conserve water and support navigation. Whilst these measures have helped reduce demand, water resources remain under significant pressure and additional action is now required.

Physical lock securing measures may be introduced at selected locations on the flight to assist with water conservation and to ensure the closure can be managed safely.

Our teams continue to monitor conditions closely and review the situation regularly. We recognise the impact this closure will have on boaters, local businesses and other waterway users and will reopen the flight as soon as conditions allow.

We would like to thank customers for their patience, understanding and support during this exceptionally challenging period.