Charity begins dredging along canal
Waterways charity, Canal & River Trust, has started a three and a half-month dredging programme along the North Stratford Canal. This specialist project is part of the Trust’s ongoing work to keep the 200-year-old canal navigable for boaters
Silt will be removed from over ten miles of the canal from Kings Norton Junction to Lapworth Lock. This will improve navigation along this popular boating route and help support the heritage and ecology of this much-loved historic waterway.
The Trust is investing £800,000 in the work, a figure that highlights the ongoing cost of keeping canals available for everyone who spends time on or by them. Nationwide, the charity spends around £7 million per year removing tens of thousands of tonnes of sediment from the bottom of its canals.
Working with specialist contactors, Ebsford Environmental Ltd, the silt is being removed using a floating digger which will carefully remove the dredgings from the bottom of the canal before placing them into a boat known as a hopper. The dredgings will then be offloaded before being transported by road to be recycled.
The dredged material typically consists of silt, decaying leaves, and other natural debris that settle on the canal bed and gradually reduce its depth over time.
Opened in 1816, the North Stratford Canal connects the Worcester & Birmingham Canal at Kings Norton to the River Avon at Stratford-Upon-Avon and was part of a network of canals which would allow coal from the Dudley and the Stourbridge Canals to reach Oxford and London, without having to go through Birmingham. Nowadays the canal is a popular route for boaters, holidaymakers, walkers, and cyclists wanting to explore Warwickshire’s countryside.
Laura Connor, from Canal & River Trust, said: “Dredging is an important part of caring for our canals and plays a central role in our vital ongoing programme of maintenance. We’re carrying out these works in the winter, so the canal is open and ready for spring, when temperatures rise and more boats start cruising. By investing in these works along the North Stratford Canal, we are ensuring that this historic route remains a vibrant and accessible, destination for boaters and visitors.
“As custodians of the nation’s canals, we’re dedicated to keeping these amazing places open and safe. But we can’t do it alone. We’re asking people to support us by donating or volunteering, to help us safeguard the future of canals like the North Stratford.”
Nick Hartley, group managing director, Ebsford Environmental Ltd, said: "Having worked closely with the Canal & River Trust for nearly a decade now, it’s always really rewarding to see projects like this come to fruition. With the challenges faced on our canal network, it’s vitally important that communities, contractors and stakeholders continue to collaborate closely to balance costs whilst delivering schemes that are essential for future generations and such a unique environment.”
For more information about the Canal & River Trust including how you can volunteer with us or donate money to support our work visit canalrivertrust.org.uk
