Chesterfield Canal

In 1951 IWA opposed the charges being made for the use of the canal and in 1952 detailed and general waterway concerns continued to be pursued including those relating to the Chesterfield Canal.

In March 1955 the Board of Survey reported and recommended the disposal of 771 miles of waterway including some canals like the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and the Barnsley Canal that had already been abandoned and closed to traffic. These "Group 3" waterways also included the Ashton, Peak Forest, Macclesfield, Bridgwater and Taunton, Chesterfield, Cromford, Dearne and Dove, Erewash, Forth & Clyde, Grand Western, Grantham, Kennet & Avon, Lancaster, Manchester, Bolton & Bury, Monmouthshire & Brecon, Nottingham, Oxford (southern section), Pocklington, Ripon, Llangollen, Montgomery, Stratford-upon-Avon (southern section), Swansea and Edinburgh & Glasgow Union canals as well as the River Witham.

In response IWA advocate a National Waterway Conservancy to look after all our waterways and point out that it is cheaper to restore and use waterways than to eliminate them.

Whitsunday Pie Lock No 60 - June 1998A protest cruise was held in 1962 to draw attention to the poor condition of the navigation.

The Chesterfield Canal Society was founded 1976.

The East Midlands Region organised an IWE Waterways week in 1977 culminating in CC77 a rally marking 200 years of the Chesterfield Canal.

A Stoppage of several months during occurred during 1979 at Retford Aqueduct on the Chesterfield Canal.

The Chesterfield Canal Trust, a charitable company run entirely by volunteers, was incorporated in July 1997. In 1998 it took over the assets of the former Chesterfield Canal Society (founded 1976).

The 2002 Inland Waterways Association National Trailboat Festival was held at Tapton Lock on the Chesterfield Canal.

In 2005 IWA National Trailboat Rally was held again at Tapton Lock.