DREDGERS REMOVE TONS OF SEDIMENT FROM STAFFORDSHIRE CANAL LOCKS

DREDGERS REMOVE TONS OF SEDIMENT FROM STAFFORDSHIRE CANAL LOCKS

Waterways charity Canal & River Trust is dredging several locks on the Trent & Mersey Canal between Burton-on-Trent and Kings Bromley to make sure boaters can continue to use the centuries-old waterway.

The works, taking place between 10 and 28 June, will see the charity remove around 25 tons of sediment each from Branston, Dallow, and Tattenhill locks, with the Canal & River Trust investing around £60,000 in the project. The dredging will be carried out using a specialised grab barge designed for the purpose.

Still used and navigated by boats having first opened in 1777, dredging is an important part of the Canal & River Trust’s work to keep the canal open. Nationwide the charity spends £millions per year dredging tens of thousands of tonnes of sediment.

Paul Fox, senior project manager at Canal & River Trust, said: “Whilst the depth of the Trent & Mersey Canal in this area is generally fine, boaters have told us they’ve been running aground in some locks. When we heard these reports, we carried out surveys that confirmed a build-up of heavy sediments, and we have planned these dredging works to clear the locks so boaters can use them unimpeded.

“It’s fantastic that our canals and locks, originally industrial freight routes that transformed the physical and economic landscape of our country, are still being used by boats as well as being place for leisure and for nature to flourish. But our ageing canals demand constant maintenance, with time and climate change taking their toll. We are doing all we can to meet this challenge, but we need help. We are calling on people to support the Canal & River Trust and help keep canals alive for today’s boaters, the local communities they run through, and for future generations.”

To support Canal & River Trust, please visit: Support us | Canal & River Trust (canalrivertrust.org.uk)

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For further media requests please contact:

Fran Read, Canal & River Trust

m 07796 610 427 e fran.read@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Fran Read (she/her)

National press officer

I work Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays

M  07796 610 427

E  fran.read@canalrivertrust.org.uk

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