Find about:
- Trees
- Managing offside vegetation
- Hedge Cutting
- Mowing Grass
- Invasive Species Control
- Aquatic (channel) vegetation
- Vegetation on the bank edge
Trees
Fallen or windblown tree blocking the towpath or channel
If you come across a tree that's blocking the navigation or towpath please contact us online here or call 0303 040 4040.
Tree causing damage to property
We carry out routine independent health and safety survey to identify any dead, dying or dangerous trees. Any work highlighted is programmed and prioritised accordingly. If a tree is structurally sound we won't carry out any unnecessary work.
We take any reports of property damage seriously, so please provide us with an independent report and any photographic evidence, and we'll investigate. Let us know online or on 0303 040 4040.
Tree is diseased, damaged or feels unsafe
We carry out a routine independent health and safety survey to identify any dead, dying or dangerous trees. Any work highlighted is programmed and prioritised accordingly. If a tree is structurally sound we won't carry out any unnecessary work.
If you feel a tree needs urgent attention, please contact us online or call 0303 040 4040. We'll take a look and take action if necessary.
Please note, we can not work on any tree that does not belong to us, unless branches are overhanging our land and causing an obstruction. You need to contact the landowner directly in this case.
Tree branches overhanging property
There's nothing in law stopping trees from spreading over a boundary. We carry out a routine independent health and safety survey to identify any dead, dying or dangerous trees. Any work highlighted is programmed and prioritised accordingly. If a tree is structurally sound we won't carry out any unnecessary work.
You are legally entitled to trim back hedges or branches of overgrown trees or hedges if they fall into your property from neighbouring land.
You are only legally entitled to trim up to your property boundary, such as a fence. It's a good idea to consult a professional tree surgeon for guidance on how best to prune back encroaching trees, unless the work could be done with hand tools. If you need access our land to work on on the tree, you need to comply with our Code of Practice. Note: there is a charge for this service. Please dispose of cut material responsibly.
Before carrying out any work to our trees, you should also find out if they are protected by a Tree Preservation Order or are within a Conservation Area. Please contact your Local Planning Authority for further details on the process.
Tree branches overhanging towpath
If branches are blocking the towpath please contact us online or call 0303 040 4040 and we'll investigate.
Tree is too tall or too big
We carry out a routine independent health and safety survey to identify any dead, dying or dangerous trees. Any work highlighted is programmed and prioritised accordingly. If a tree is structurally sound we won't carry out any unnecessary work.
Tree blocking light or view to property
Householders have no absolute right to light from across a neighbour's land. Likewise, there is no right to a view. Right to light or a view blocked by the growth of trees cannot legally be regarded as a ‘nuisance'. If a tree is structurally sound we won't work on it unnecessarily.
Tree affecting TV signal
There is no legal right to television reception. Existing trees on neighbouring land that interfere with television reception, especially with satellite transmissions, are unlikely to be regarded as a ‘nuisance'. If a tree is structurally sound then we don't undertake works to it unnecessarily.
Leaf fall blocking drains and gutters
We are not able to remove leaf litter from property bordering our land. It's the land owner's responsibility to maintain their land.
Arisings (branches, logs or cut wood) left on site
It's standard practice to leave clippings, cuttings and material from tree works on land owned by us as this reduces transport and associated costs. In fact, clippings are important to wildlife. We leave them in piles to rot down providing valuable nesting, shelter and hibernation habitat for small mammals, insects, fungi and birds. We'll remove clippings where there is a higher level of risk from anti-social behaviour or instability on steeper embankments or cuttings.
Trees facilitating anti-social behaviour
If you suspect tree growth on our land is harbouring anti-social behaviour, please contact us online or call us on 0303 040 4040 and we will investigate.
Unauthorised tree work by third party
If you suspect tree works are being carried out on our land by an unauthorised third party, please contact us online or call us on 0303 040 4040 and we will investigate.
Other
If you have a query about trees, please contact us online or call us on 0303 040 4040. We need as much detail as possible and photos to help us with any investigations.
Read more about how we manage our trees.
Managing offside vegetation
Vegetation overhanging the channel and impeding navigation or line of sight
We have a rolling programme of offside vegetation cutting every year between October and March (outside of the bird breeding season). If you feel there is an urgent need to cut back vegetation in your area, please contact us online or call us on 0303 040 4040.
Trust vegetation management from third party property
We have a legal obligation to make sure our waterways are free and open for everyone to use and enjoy. We also have the right as landowner to cut any vegetation overhanging our property, as long as we don't remove the timber, unless the owner of the vegetation gives us permission to do so.
Exposing third party boundary or security issues
We cut only trees and plants overhanging our property to allow safe navigation, passage and access for our customers. All works are carried out from our own land and the clippings are left on the offside bank where safe to do so. We're not obliged to provide security for your property and we recommend you contact your local planning authority should any anti-social behaviour take place.
Arisings (branches, logs or cut wood) left on site
It's standard practice to leave clippings, cuttings and material from work on land owned by us as this reduces transport and associated costs. In fact, clippings are important to wildlife. We leave them in piles to rot down providing valuable nesting, shelter and hibernation habitat for small mammals, insects, fungi and birds. We'll remove clippings where there is a higher level of risk from anti-social behaviour or instability on steeper embankments or cuttings.
If you have a query other than those stated above, please contact us online. We would appreciate as much detail as possible and photos if feasible to aid any further investigation.
Hedge cutting
Arisings (branches, logs or cut wood) left on towpath
We make every effort to make sure the towpath is left in a clean, tidy and safe state. Hedge clippings are usually left within the hedge line and we do periodic inspections to check our towpaths are left free of cuttings. However, gusts of wind and rain can sometimes move the clippings back onto the towpath.
Please contact us online or call us on 0303 040 4040 if clippings are causing an obstruction.
Punctured bicycle tyre
We make every effort to make sure the towpath is left in a clean, tidy and safe state. Unfortunately, we cannot be held responsible for any damage to private property when carrying out an activity on the canal. We're sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.
Timing of hedge works
All hedge cutting takes place between October and March to minimise disturbance to nesting birds. Due to the hundreds of kilometres of hedgerows we cut annually, we cannot provide an exact date as to when your section of hedgerow will be cut.
If you wish to report a section of hedgerow that has not been cut sufficiently by the end of this period, please let us know online and we'll investigate.
Branches overhanging towpath
If branches are blocking the towpath please contact us online or call us on 0303 040 4040 and we will investigate.
Hedge blocking light or view
Householders have no absolute right to light from across a neighbour's land. Likewise, there is no right to a view and a view obstructed by the growth of hedges cannot legally be regarded as a 'nuisance'.
If you feel a hedgerow would benefit from hedge-laying, please refer to the question below.
Hedge laying request
We're constantly surveying and reviewing hedgerow management across the network. Laying hedges is a great form of management and we are keen, where possible, to lay more. However, as we are sure you understand not all hedges or locations are suitable and there are resource issues due to the increased cost, when compared to cutting. We compile information regarding opportunities to improve, enhance and even increase our already extensive hedgerow network of which we have over 1,200 miles across England and Wales. Hedge laying is sometimes undertaken by our volunteers – please see the Events section of our website to check for opportunities in your area.
Please contact us online if you would like to recommend an area that would benefit from hedge laying and thank you for taking the time to make us aware of this potential.
Hedge planting request
We are constantly surveying and reviewing hedgerow management across the network. Where we have gaps in hedgerows we try to plant new sections where possible to provide a boundary and benefit wildlife. Hedge planting is sometimes undertaken by our volunteers – please see the volunteering section of our website to check for opportunities in your area.
Please contact us online if you would like to recommend an area which would benefit from hedge planting and thank you for taking the time to make us aware of this potential.
Other
If you have a query other than those stated above, please contact us online. We would appreciate as much detail as possible and photos if feasible to aid any further investigation.
Please visit here for more information about how we manage our hedgerows.
Mowing the grass
Grass clippings/stone chippings spread onto boat
If you are on a long term mooring and wish the mowing team to leave a small strip of grass between your boat and the mown grass, please download one of our signs and install it in the aft and stern of your boat. Please note that grass will need cutting a minimum of once a year to prevent woody growth establishing.
We make every effort to minimise grass clippings being spread onto boats. Our contractor is instructed to wash or blow off any debris as far as is practical.
If stones from the towpath cause damage to your boat, please contact us online or call us on 0303 040 4040.
Grass cuttings in water
Our contractor is instructed not to allow grass clippings to enter the water, however, small amounts of clippings will inevitably enter the water. A failure to prevent unreasonable amounts of clippings entering the water is a breach of the Code of Practice as agreed by the contractor – as such they will be penalised and requested to remove the clippings.
Please contact us online or call us on 0303 040 4040 to report any incidents.
How we choose to cut the grass
Mowing specifications are decided through consultation with the local waterway to ensure that user requirements, landscape character, native wildflowers and biodiversity value are all taken into account.
Our mowing regime is reviewed during the winter, so if you would like us to consider a change or more sensitive approach in your area please contact us online.
Lack of mooring points
Mowing specifications are decided together with our local team local to make sure user needs, landscape character and biodiversity value are all taken into account. We endeavour to provide mooring/alighting points at approximately one kilometre intervals and where tall plants exist a section of it is cut to provide an alighting point.
If you feel insufficient mooring points are being provided in your area, please contact us online and we'll make sure guidelines are being followed.
Cutting to edge – impact on water voles
Water voles can be affected by cutting grass too close to the water's edge. We tailor our grass management to prevent any undue impact on protected or threatened species, in particular water voles.
Should you wish to report any damage to known water vole habitat in your area, please contact us online and we will investigate further.
Cutting to hedge – exposing third party boundary
During the grass-growing season, we mow the towpath to meet users' requirements and allow our engineers to inspect the stability of our infrastructure. However, annually a full-width cut is undertaken / access paths are cut to ensure that woody vegetation does not grow. We're not obliged to provide security for your property and we would recommend contacting your local planning authority should any anti-social behaviour take place.
Other
If you have a query other than those stated above, please contact us online. We would appreciate as much detail as possible and photos if feasible to aid any further investigation.
Please visit here for more information about how we cut our grass.
Invasive species control
Japanese knotweed/Giant hogweed adjacent to your property
We implement an annual control programme of the most invasive species on our network and target our management to prevent plants from spreading onto adjacent land.
If you wish to report Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) or Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) that's encroaching on your property, please contact us online or call us on 0303 040 4040.
Reporting Giant hogweed on our network
Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) poses a serious health and safety risk if touched and is only treated by qualified, suitably protected contractors.
Please contact us online urgently or call us on 0303 040 4040 and we will check if it is already included in our treatment schedule.
Himalayan balsam control
Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera) is now widespread along our network; unfortunately, we don't have the resources to control it in every location. We hold ‘Balsam bashing' events during the spring and early summer, so if you would like to help us, please see the volunteering section of our website to check for opportunities in your area.
Reporting invasive species on our network
The Trust takes the presence of both native and non-native invasive plants on our property very seriously and welcomes any reports.
Please contact us online or call us on 0303 040 4040 and we'll check if it is already included in our treatment schedule.
Common ragwort on our land adjacent to horse grazing
We have a duty to prevent the spread of the injurious weed Common ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) onto adjacent horse grazing land if served notice to do so under the Weeds Act, 1959.
To report any Common ragwort on our land, please contact us online.
Help us with invasive species control
We'll always welcome help managing the burden of invasive species. However, some like Japanese knotweed and Giant hogweed are difficult to manage by volunteers. Plants like Himalayan balsam and Ragwort can be ‘pulled' by volunteers: please see the volunteer section of our website to check for opportunities in your area. If you would like to help us monitor the presence and extent of invasive species, please contact us online.
Duckweed, Blanket weed, Floating pennywort, Water fern
During the spring and summer invasive aquatic species such as Duckweed (Lemnoideae family) Blanket weed (pond algae), Floating pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides) and Water fern (Azolla filculoides) can multiply and cover the surface of the water negatively impacting native species by restricting sunlight and reducing oxygen levels.
If you spot any, please call us on 0303 040 4040 or contact us online and we will check if it is already included in our treatment schedule.
Blue green algae
Blue green algae (BGA) are naturally occurring organisms but in nutrient-rich waters and encouraged by warm weather, BGA can grow excessively and cause water quality problems and potentially health problems in the summer months. We have a recognised internal process for monitoring and managing blue green algae in our reservoirs and water bodies.
If you spot any, please contact us online or call us on 0303 040 4040.
Reporting potential invasive species
While we try and monitor and control invasive non-native species where we have the resources, there is always the threat of new species being brought onto our waterways. One of the most common ways plants become invasive is through escaping from gardens.
Early identification that a plant species has the potential to be invasive is key. If an ornamental plant is growing so strongly that it needs to be controlled to prevent it overgrowing other plants, it has the potential to be invasive in the wild. This can be reported via the Plant Alert website.
Other
If you have a query other than those stated above, please contact us online. We would appreciate as much detail as possible and photos if feasible to aid any further investigation.
Please visit here to find out more about how we control invasive species.
Aquatic channel vegetation
Vegetation or reeds blocking navigation
We manage vegetation and reed encroachment into the channel during our cyclical dredging programme. This process is usually only undertaken during the winter months to reduce the impact on nesting birds and water vole habitat. Due to limited funds, we have to prioritise these works across the whole network so management may not be possible immediately. In certain instances, we may consider cutting encroaching vegetation or treating it with herbicide.
If you are concerned about vegetation encroachment, please call us on 0303 040 4040 or contact us online and we will check if the area is included on our management schedule.
Reed removal and habitat loss
Reed removal is sometimes necessary to aid navigation along our waterways. We aim to retain a minimum 1m width of reed habitat on the offside and/or towpath side to benefit nesting birds, water voles and invertebrates.
Please visit here to find out more about how we manage aquatic vegetation.
Vegetation on the bank edge
Saplings (woody vegetation) blocking a mooring point
We aim to provide a bank edge clear of any woody growth by cutting and treating saplings annually. The purpose of this is to prevent any damage to structures or pose a permanent barrier to mooring. In some instances, we retain woody vegetation to benefit wildlife and conserve landscape and culture.
If you are concerned about woody vegetation on the bank edge, please call us on 0303 040 4040 or contact us online.
Other
If you have a query other than those stated above, please contact us online. We would appreciate as much detail as possible and photos to help in any further investigation.
