Maintenance and Improvement
The historic structures of our waterways - the bridges, locks, tunnels and mile-posts - are what makes them so attractive to our visitors. It is therefore not only in our interest to look after our structures from an operational and safety perspective, but also from a heritage conservation and aesthetic point of view.
It is a challenging task to look after waterways which stretch across 2,200 miles (3,540km), many of which are over 200-years-old. Structures are constantly exposed to the effects of the climate (which in recent years have included flash floods and droughts). They cross major roads, making them prone to accidental vehicle damage, and of course they have to bear the wear and tear of around 11 million visitors every year. Combined, this has a significant and sometimes unpredictable effect on our maintenance programme and costs.
Lock gates are a good example of common structures which need to be in a good condition to fulfil their vital role. Craftsmen with specialist skills are employed to make the lock gates at our Bradley and Stanley Ferry workshops. Find out more about lock gates on waterscape.com.
Find out more about bridges, tunnels and aqueducts on waterscape.com.
To find out if there are cruising restrictions or engineering works on our waterways please visit the stoppages page on waterscape.com.
Our approach to looking after our structures is supported by: