Why Canal and Waterway Heritage Matters

Waterways benefits, canal restoration, volunteers & societies

Millions of hours of work by thousands of volunteers supported by millions of pounds of charitable grants helped to save our wonderful canal system from dereliction.

But there’s growing concern that cuts to government funding to the waterways sector are leading to reduction of maintenance standards and deteriorating conditions of many waterways, and that many could slip back into dereliction. Recent reports emphasize the enormous economic and social benefits of our waterways that help enrich all our lives. CRT estimated that ‘the combined annual economic and social value of the waterways amounts to £6.1bn. The IWA report that ‘500 miles of derelict waterways have been restored since the 1960s. Along with the rest of the navigable network, they provide tangible benefits to the tens of millions of people who live, work and play beside them.’