Buckby Locks 8 to 11

Detail

From Date: 06/05/2019 09:00

To Date: 16/08/2019 00:00 inclusive

Type: Navigation Restriction

Reason: Water resources

Is the towpath closed? No

Location

Closest waterway: Grand Union Canal

Starts at: Lock 8

Ends at: Lock 11

Updates

16/08/2019 18:09

Restrictions in place are lifted with immediate effect.  Water levels in some reservoirs across the Braunston and Leicester summit have improved due to the recent rainfall, the reduced canal demands due to local water saving restrictions, and short duration summer stoppage works which have been successful in saving water.

We now feel that the improvement in the water resources situation in the Braunston Summit Reservoir Group and the Leicester Summit Reservoir Group is sufficient to lift the restrictions introduced earlier in the summer.

Boaters can always help conserve water by sharing locks where possible and making the best use of the water available, ensuring paddles are fully closed once they’ve passed through a lock.  It’s helpful to aim for minimal contact when navigating through locks by ensuring gates are fully open when passing through as pushing gates open using a boat can damage the gate lining, increasing its leakage.  Thank you for your help.

13/05/2019 15:58

Update:

Levels within reservoirs feeding the Leicester Summit and Grand Union Mainline are lower than usual for the time of year following below average rainfall over the last eleven months.

In order to maximise the available water the Trust is taking the sensible precaution of locking targeted locks up overnight. This measure is intended to reduce the potential for water losses overnight and allow backpumps more time to transfer water from the Braunston Summit onto the Leicester Summit. The hours available for navigation are being further shortened with the aim of reducing feeds from reservoirs.

From the 3rd June, lock opening hours will be:

10am to 4pm

[last entry on the flight 3pm]

Description

After a relatively dry winter, following on from
last year’s exceptionally dry summer – one of the hottest and driest on record
– reservoirs feeding some parts of the Oxford and Grand Union Canals have not refilled as quickly as would normally be expected.

Recent heavy storms have not been able to compensate for a continued period of below average rainfall that goes back to June 2018 and that has meant some reservoirs in this area have not refilled as we would normally expect. For example Naseby Reservoir, our largest reservoir serving this part of the canal network, started the season around 60% full.

In order to maximise the available water the Trust is taking the sensible precaution of locking targeted locks up overnight. This measure is intended to reduce the potential for water losses overnight and allow backpumps more time to transfer water from the Braunston Summit onto the Leicester Summit.

We will continue to monitor our reservoir storage and canal opening hours with a view to keeping disruption to a minimum whilst balancing a need to save water.

Boaters also have a really important role to play and we ask that they help us to save water by making sure that all gates and paddles are closed after use, sharing a lock if possible and waiting for oncoming boats where appropriate.  

For more water saving tips go to www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/a-guide-to-boating

In the days preceding, during (25th to 27th May) and following Crick Boat Show opening hours will be relaxed to allow boat traffic to navigate to and from the event with minimal disruption.

From the 6th May, lock opening hours will be:

9am to 5pm

[last entry on the flight 4.pm]