Updates
02/08/2019 12:06
Due to significant improvement in the water resources situation on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal all restrictions have been lifted with immediate effect.
16/07/2019 10:25
From the 19th July we are looking to extend the opening times of the following locks.
Their new restrictions will be:
Barrowford – Open at 10am, Closed at 5pm, last entry 4pm
Gargrave Locks – Open at 10am, closed at 6pm on Mondays and Fridays, last entry at 5pm. The other days of the week, the lock will be closed at 5pm and the last entry will be at 4pm
All other restrictions remain the same and we will continue to keep the situation under review
26/06/2019 10:22
The recent rainfall has improved water levels on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and we are revising the restrictions in some areas. However, the reservoirs have not seen enough rainfall to refill them to a satisfactory level and we remain cautious as we work to keep the canal open throughout the summer boating season. Our aim is to strike a balance between making the canal as accessible as possible for boaters and mitigating against future risk.
We are removing the restrictions at Johnsons Hillocks and at Blackburn Locks as they are fed by feeders as well as from the summit.
The restrictions at Barrowford Locks, Greenberfield Locks, Bank Newton Locks, and Gargrave Locks remain in place as they are solely fed from the reservoirs. They are as follows:
Barrowford Locks – Open at 10am, closed at 4pm, last entry 3pm
Greenberfield Locks – Open at 10am, closed at 5pm, last entry 4pm
Bank Newton Locks – Open at 10am, closed at 5pm, last entry 4pm
Gargrave Locks – Open at 10am, closed at 5pm, last entry 4pm
Wigan Flight can be prone to vandalism which, when it occurs, uses a lot of water and can cause problems for both boaters and our water management. The restrictions are in place to minimise this risk. The Flight will remain open to boaters as follows:
Wigan Flight - Lock 65 (Top of Wigan Flight) and Lock 85 (Bottom of Wigan Flight) – 8:30am to 9:30am to facilitate entry onto the flight, 12:30pm to 1:30pm to facilitate exit from the flight
We will continue to monitor the situation and provide further updates in the coming weeks. While the restrictions will restrict the use of the canal by boats, the towpath will continue to remain open for visitors and the local community alike to enjoy.
In the meantime, boaters can 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.
03/05/2019 10:41
We have continued to experience a prolonged period of dry weather in the reservoir catchment area, which has resulted in higher than normal drawdown from the reservoirs, for this time of the year. We have reached the point where further restrictions are required, which will be implemented from Friday 17 May. These are as follows;
- Johnsons Hillocks - Open at 10am, closed at 5pm, last entry 4 pm
- Blackburn Locks - Open at 10am, closed at 5pm, last entry 4 pm
- Barrowford Locks – Open at 10am, closed at 4pm, last entry 3pm
- Greenberfield Locks – Open at 10am, closed at 5pm, last entry 4pm
- Bank Newton Locks – Open at 10am, closed at 5pm, last entry 4pm
- Gargrave Locks – Open at 10am, closed at 5pm, last entry 4pm
Wigan Flight - Lock 65 (Top of Wigan Flight) and Lock 85 (Bottom of Wigan Flight) to be open to customers as follows:
- 8:30am to 9:30am to facilitate entry onto the flight
- 12:30pm to 1:30pm to facilitate exit from the flight
We will continue to monitor the situation and provide further updates in the coming weeks. While the restrictions will restrict the use of the canal by boats, the towpath will continue to remain open for visitors and the local community alike to enjoy.
In the meantime, boaters can 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.
- Aiming for minimal contact when navigating through locks by ensuring gates are fully open as they pass through. Pushing gates open using a boat can damage the gate lining, increasing its leakage.
