Campaigning for the waterways

IWA has produced a first-of-its-kind map revealing the likely impact of 2C degrees warming (predicted by the Climate Change Committee to be possible by 2050) on Britain’s 5,000-mile network of canals and navigable rivers. We also mapped heritage at risk and the indefinite stoppages across the network.  

These were our key findings:  

• Three-quarters of Britain’s canals face financial insecurity, with the majority of the nation’s navigation authorities struggling to maintain essential infrastructure amid declining funding;  

• Climate pressures are intensifying, with new mapping showing every waterway in Britain will face greater risk from drought in summer and floods in winter; and  

• The combination of reduced funding and rising climate impacts creates a “perfect storm” or the nation’s 5,000-mile canal and river network, threatening heritage, navigation, tourism, wildlife, utilities, homes, communities and businesses.  

The map is very much a framework on which to build future campaigns, and we’ll keep it live as more heritage at risk or indefinite stoppages are identified. 

Hundreds of miles of waterways – along with their unique heritage and habitats – are currently starved of sufficient funding, and rely on constant lobbying by us to safeguard their future.

It is vitally important that publicly-owned waterways continue to receive an adequate level of funding from government.

This includes the 2000 miles managed by Canal & River Trust, the 630 miles run by the Environment Agency and those operated by Scottish Canals.

With access to towpaths and river paths being free, waterways are ideal for people to use for walking, boating, jogging, cycling, canoeing, fishing, paddleboarding, and making journeys to work or for shopping.

Inland waterways benefit everyone including improved health and wellbeing through opportunities for holidays, exercise and recreation. There are also financial benefits to local economies through tourism, employment and regeneration.

IWA is co-leading a campaign supported by over one hundred other organisations from the inland waterways and beyond to convince Government to better fund our inland waterways.  This is IWA’s top campaign, as it is essential for the survival of the waterways as we know them today.

[The photo shows narrow boat Euclid in front of the Houses of Parliament on a campaign cruise in November 2023 – by Kev Maslin, Chasing the Boats]

Over the last 75 years – since IWA was formed – more than 500 miles of waterway have been restored.

IWA is now campaigning for the over 500 miles of waterway that are now actively being restored.

Canal restorations bring benefits at every stage of restoration; most existing restoration schemes are already providing substantial local benefits.