The government has provided an additional £6.5 million government funding to help build long-term resilience across the canal network in England and Wales and ensure it continues to operate safely.

The 200-year-old waterway network covers roughly 2,000 miles and is used by millions of people annually.

With the canals facing pressure from extreme weather and maintenance costs the funding will go to the Canal and River Trust (CRT) and comes in addition to the £52.6 million of annual government funding already provided to the Trust.

The money was allocated before the recent Llangollen Canal breach, where an embankment collapsed trapping two narrowboats and stranding seven others.

The investment will extend the life of critical canal assets such as canal embankments, culverts and reservoirs and reduce future repair bills. It will also enable essential works to be completed on schedule.

Water Minister Emma Hardy said:

“This investment will help future-proof the Canal & River Trust’s network, ensuring it is better equipped to withstand the challenges of climate change while continuing to operate safely and reliably for the public.”

Key projects include works on the Peak Forest Canal, Tame Valley Canal, and the lift bridge connecting London Docklands to the River Thames.

A number of the nation’s oldest reservoirs built to feed fresh water into the canal system will benefit, improving their resilience and ensuring they continue to supply water. These include reservoirs from the industrial age that supply the Birmingham Canal Navigations, Grand Union Canal, Huddersfield Narrow Canal, Leeds & Liverpool Canal, Peak Forest Canal and Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal.

Campbell Robb, Chief Executive of the Canal & River Trust, commented:

“Increased extreme weather events and rising maintenance costs have placed additional strain on the nation’s historic canal infrastructure and this funding from Government recognises the important role they are able to play in helping to build resilience.

“Although built in the industrial age, a resilient canal network is perfectly placed to help meet many of the challenges of modern society. The investment in reservoirs speaks to the potential of navigable canals to store and move water around the country for domestic supply, serving the nation by moving water from areas with excess to areas where there isn’t enough.”