Inland waterways
Britain’s inland waterways are extremely diverse and comprise a wide variety of natural and artificial watercourses and other waters.
Most of the system is non-tidal and consists of canals, and rivers which have been made navigable. There are some tidal waterways – mainly naturally navigable rivers and their estuaries.
At present there are approximately 5000 kms of fully navigable inland waters in England and Wales, about 450 kms of which are tidal.
The role of most non-tidal waterways has changed radically over the last 30 years. Having once been used mostly for freight transport, these waterways are now used chiefly for leisure and amenity. They are an important part of the country’s heritage and serve a wide variety of other uses ranging from land drainage to acting as a catalyst for regeneration.
Latest News
- 1 February 2012 – Government response to consultation on proposal to abolish Inland Waterways Advisory Council (IWAC)
- 31 January 2012 – Waterways Minister Richard Benyon announced to Parliament through a Written Ministerial Statement the agreed funding deal with the Canal and River Trust (CRT)
- December 2011 – Defra research into the value of inland waterways (previous reports of the first (PDF) and second phase (PDF) of the research on the IWAC website)
Government policies for inland waterways
On 14 October 2010, the Government announced its intention to transfer the functions of British Waterways in England and Wales into a new, independent ‘national trust’ for the waterways.
The Canal and River Trust (CRT) will protect and care for these assets on behalf of the nation. It will give waterways users, and their local communities, a greater involvement in how the waterways are managed.
The proposal will help the waterways to be more financially sustainable, as the new charity will have access to new sources of commercial and private income, and fundraising, including legacies and donations. It will create the opportunity to grow a strong base of volunteers who can help maintain a range of waterways assets, through their knowledge, expertise, passion and commitment.
The process of setting up the Canal and River Trust (CRT)
In March 2011, Defra launched a consultation (‘A New Era for the Waterways’) outlining the Government’s proposals for moving inland waterways into a new charity in England and Wales.
A supplementary consultation on certain aspects of the proposed Transfer Order for transferring the functions of British Waterways in England and Wales to a New Waterways Charity and for making consequential provision in Scotland was launched in September 2011.
A draft Order to transfer the functions and assets of British Waterways to the Canal & River Trust was laid in Parliament in February 2012. A final stage Impact Assessment which sets out the costs and benefits of moving the British Waterways network in England and Wales into civil society was published at the same time.
Responsibility for inland waterways
Currently, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is responsible for over 4,000 km of the inland waterway network of England and Wales. The two largest navigation authorities managing this network on behalf of the Secretary of State are:
- British Waterways, a public corporation, which cares for 2,500 km of canals, 500 km of river navigations, 15 km of docks and many thousands of associated locks, bridges, embankments and aqueducts; and
- The Environment Agency, a non-departmental public body, primarily concerned with flooding, pollution and rivers, which cares for 1,000 km of mainly river navigation.
This map shows who is currently responsible for the management of the inland waterways:
- Waterways map (PDF on Association of Inland Navigation Authorities website)
Proposal to abolish the Inland Waterways Advisory Council (IWAC)
IWAC is a cross-border body which provides advice to Government and other interested persons on matters considered appropriate and relevant to Britain’s inland waterways.
The proposal to abolish the Inland Waterways Advisory Council (IWAC) was announced by the UK Government on 22 July 2010 as part of its Arms Length Body Review and agreed by Scottish Ministers.
Defra launched a consultation on the proposed abolition in August 2011.
on 1 February 2012, Defra published its response to the consultation on a proposal to abolish the Inland Waterways Advisory Council (IWAC) which took place August – November 2011. It outlines the Government’s intention to lay a draft Order in time to abolish IWAC in England and Wales and in Scotland in June 2012, subject to Parliamentary time and consent.
External Links
Contacts
Inland waterways
Area 3B
Nobel House
Smith Square
London
SW1P 3JR
Telephone: 020 7238 4805
Fax: 020 7238 4877
E-mail: iwb@defra.gsi.gov.uk