Canals and rivers are closed

“Following the announcement from the Prime Minister (8.30pm, 23 March 2020) regarding the UK’s response to the coronavirus crisis, we are asking leisure boaters to stop all non-essential travel and not to visit their boats if they do not live aboard permanently. As a result, and to help those who live-aboard (along with those who would need to travel to their boat in order to move it) we are suspending the requirement to move every 14 days. With Government, on 16 April 2020, extending the Coronavirus lockdown period to 9 May 2020, we are accordingly extending the suspension of the normal requirement for boats to move every 14 days to 9 May 2020, to be reviewed in line with Government guidelines. During this period, you do not need to contact us to tell us you will be staying in one location for more than 14 days.

We ask everyone to be considerate and make sure that vital boater facilities and services are accessible to those that need them, moving a minimal amount when necessary. If you are not currently occupying your boat the government guidance is that you must not visit it (this means no short trips or breaks on your boat at this time).

Please note that from Monday 30 March, unless there is an emergency or boaters require passage for essential services such as water, pump out or waste, all our employee-operated locks, bridges and tunnels will be closed.”