Updates
24/08/2018 11:03
The navigation and towpath at Melling on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal is now open. With the canal having been unused for a long time there has been some weed growth in the canal channel that may affect cruising. We have staff and equipment working on this today and over the weekend.
20/08/2018 16:08
Further to the update of 9 August 2018, the team have completed the installation of the new culvert and pipework and have also rebuilt the towpath wash wall. We are now completing masonry and reinstatement works to the offside embankment. We will also be undertaking piling works and installation of lining and a new clay bed. Following these works, testing will be taking place to check for any leakages. Once we have successfully tested the area, the team will remove the gabion stone from the navigation.
We plan to open the canal to navigation at 11am on Friday 24 August 2018.
If you have a Liverpool Canal Link booking and need some advice, please contact us on 03030 404040.
09/08/2018 10:33
Further to the notice of 1 August 2018, the new culvert is in place. The team are now installing a new headwall at the inlet and reinstating the masonry wash wall on the towpath side.
The navigation is expected to be re-opened on Friday 24th August before the bank holiday weekend.
If you have a Liverpool Canal Link booking and need some advice, please contact us on 03030 404040.
01/08/2018 17:24
Further to the update of 27 July 2018, unfortunately we have experienced issues relating to water management and pipe installation at the site which have impacted progress. The team are working hard to remedy the issues.
We can confirm that the navigation will be open on 24 August, in time for the Bank Holiday weekend.
Please note that some sections of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal are subject to temporary closures as part of drought measures. You can find out which sections are affected by following this link.
If you have a Liverpool Canal Link booking and need some advice, please contact us on 03030 404040.
An update will be issued on Wednesday 8 August 2018.
27/07/2018 17:33
Further to the update of 18 July, works continue at site to install the new culvert. 80% of the pipe has been installed with the remaining pipe works to take place early next week. Following this, we will be completing works to reinstate the clay bed and wash walls.
If you have a Liverpool Canal Link booking and need some advice, please contact us on 03030 404040.
An update will be issued on Wednesday 1 August 2018.
18/07/2018 17:31
Works continue on site and the team are now in the process of installing the new culvert.
More pumps have been arranged to help get water to the Liverpool side of the stoppage and we hope that water levels will come up within the next week. We will keep you updated as to when the water has reached navigable levels.
If you have a Liverpool Canal Link booking and need some advice, please contact us on 03030 404040.
An update will be issued on Friday 27 July 2018.
11/07/2018 17:04
Works continue as planned on site and the team has commenced with the removal of the old culvert.
Over pumping is in place and the water levels on the Liverpool section are slowly rising. We will keep you updated as to when the water has reached navigable levels.
If you have a Liverpool Canal Link booking and need some advice, please contact us on 03030 404040.
An update will be issued on Wednesday 18 July 2018.
04/07/2018 18:11
Further to the update of 27 June, the upstream dam is in place and the short section of canal upstream of the culvert has been re-watered. The downstream dam is expected to be complete by end of the week and the fabric dam will be removed. Over pumping has been set up to provide a water feed to the Liverpool section, along with the river abstraction. The water is starting to slowly replenish.
Sadly, we have been experiencing some anti-social behaviour at the site and additional fencing has been installed in the area in an effort to prevent unauthorised access.
A further update will be issued on Wednesday 11 July 2018
27/06/2018 20:34
Further to the update of 20 June 2018, the access track has been laid and work to install the first dam is complete. The team will continue to work through the weekend to install the second dam.
We hope to commence feeding water into the area by over pumping within the next few days. We have also agreed an abstraction from the River Alt. Unfortunately, low water levels and persistent warm temperatures in the river have prevented us from taking any water so far. We are monitoring the water levels and will keep you updated as to when boat movement can resume on the Liverpool side of the stoppage. It will take time for the water levels in the Liverpool section to recover.
Our teams will commence with works to remove the damaged culvert next week. The current programme of works will aim to have the culvert replacement complete and the area re-watered by the third week of August.
If you have a Liverpool Canal Link booking and need some advice, please contact us on 03030 404040.
An update will be issued on Wednesday 4 July 2018.
20/06/2018 17:03
Further to the update of 15 June 2018, our teams continue to install the trackway across the adjacent field, which will facilitate access to the site with the required machinery.
Contract teams will be working through the weekend and we hope to be in a position to commence the installation of the first dam on Monday next week and the second by Thursday.
We have been liaising with the Environment Agency who have granted permission to extract water from the River Alt. Once the dams are in place, we will start to feed water from the river to the Liverpool pound. We are limited to how much water can be abstracted and it will take time for the Liverpool section to recover. We are monitoring the water levels on a weekly basis and will keep you updated as to when boat movement can resume on the Liverpool side of the stoppage.
If you have a Liverpool Canal Link booking and need some advice, please contact us on 03030 404040.
An update will be issued on Wednesday 27 June 2018.
15/06/2018 18:25
Further to the update of 14 June 2018, our team have now established a site compound near to the stoppage area. We have obtained the necessary permission to access the canal using third party land and are in the process of laying a track across so that we can get the necessary machinery to site. We anticipate that the tack will take one week to install. Following this, we will be installing dams on either side of the collapsed culvert so that we can assess the damage, plan and commence the necessary repairs.
When we have established the severity of the damage, we will be better placed to provide estimated timescales for works. Our initial assessment is that the area will be closed for at least six weeks, although we do not believe that the situation is as severe as other locations such as Middlewich.
The North West customer support team will be contacting customers with Liverpool Canal Link bookings to keep them updated and make any changes required. If you have a Liverpool Canal Link booking and need some advice, please contact us on 03030 404040.
An update will be issued on Wednesday 20 June 2018.
14/06/2018 07:43
AMENDMENT
Please note that the towpath is closed from Ledson's Bridge (No. 9c) to Melling Stone Bridge (No. 11).
An update will be issued on Friday 15 June 2018.
13/06/2018 19:32
The Leeds & Liverpool Canal is currently closed to navigation between Bridge 10 (Holmes Swing Bridge) to Stanley Top Lock / Eldonian Village in Liverpool due to a collapsed culvert (No. 29) in Melling.
Teams have been working today to secure the site and install portadams to contain the area and reduce loss of water.
Please note that the towpath is closed from Spencer's Swing Bridge (No. 36) to Melling Stone Bridge (No. 11).
An update will be issued on Friday 15 June 2018.
13/06/2018 09:36
The Leeds & Liverpool Canal is currently closed to navigation between Bridges 9C (Ledson's Bridge) in Bridge 10 (Holmes Swing Bridge) due to a suspected collapsed culvert (No. 29) near Melling / Burscough.
Engineers are on site completing investigations and an update will be issued later today.
