Canal & River Trust report reveals mounting concerns amid funding cuts
The UK waterways charity, the Canal & River Trust, has released its annual report & accounts for 2023/24, revealing a year marked by record spending on maintenance, and increasing pressures on its operations due to the ageing canal infrastructure and rising costs exacerbated by climate change and inflation. These challenges come at a critical time, with the trust facing significant government funding cuts set to begin in 2027.
During 2023/24 the trust spent nearly £70 million on over 450 planned engineering projects aimed at maintaining and repairing its 2,000-mile canal network. Among these, £27 million was allocated to resilience works at 19 of its large reservoirs.
Reflecting the continued impact of climate change on the ageing canal network, the report details how, following prolonged hot dry weather the summer before, a succession of winter storms caused significant damage, with an aggregated impact of £9 million in emergency works.
The trust says it is confronting mounting difficulties in maintaining its network, which it attributes to the combined effects of climate change and high inflation. The rising costs of keeping the canal system operational, paired with the announcement of government funding cuts, which have already sparked protests, paint a worrying picture for the future of the UK’s waterways.
Fund Britain’s Waterways launched a campaign cruise to Westminster to protest funding cuts.
The trust’s #KeepCanalsAlive campaign has sought to raise awareness of the funding crisis facing the waterways. A coalition of over 100 organisations, known as Fund Britain’s Waterways, has joined the trust in calling for greater government support.
Earlier this year, the trust’s annual boaters’ survey showed that overall boater satisfaction has fallen to 46 per cent from 54 per cent a year ago.
“Our canal network is a national treasure – unique living heritage dating back 250 years that connects our past to the present – and is able to play a vital role in our future prosperity,” says David Orr, chair of the Canal & River Trust.
Canal & River Trust report 2023/4
The report highlights that, after a six-year freeze on government funding, the cuts expected from 2027 will present major challenges, with the value of the grant already reduced by more than 30 per cent in real terms. The charity warns that these cuts could put the future of the canal network at risk, despite its ongoing efforts to secure alternative funding streams, including hiking UK boat licence fees.
Alongside maintenance challenges, the trust’s report also addresses a shift in boating trends, with a decrease in the total number of boats on the network by 1.4 per cent in the past year. Although the number of continuously cruising boats increased by 4.9 per cent, the overall decline suggests a potential downturn in activity on the canals. Last year, the trust launched its first-ever Boater Census to understand the needs of boaters better, acknowledging the differing needs of those who live on the waterways versus those who use them for leisure.
The social and economic benefits of the canal network are valued at £4.6 billion and £1.5 billion, respectively.
Richard Parry, chief executive of the Canal & River Trust, says: “A key part of the Canal & River Trust’s long-term plan is to continue to reduce dependency on government funding by further developing and growing alternative sources of income. During the year ended 31 March 2024, our commercial income was £97.1m, 12.2 per cent higher than in the prior year. It now represents 41 per cent of our total income (2022/23: 38.1 per cent).
The trust highlights a record level of volunteer involvement in the past year, with an increased number of volunteers contributing to its activities.
In March 2024, the trust published its first Impact Report, “Transforming Places and Enriching Lives,” which showcased the social and economic benefits of the canal network, valued at £4.6 billion and £1.5 billion, respectively. A second Impact Report is expected later this year.
The Canal & River Trust’s Annual Public Meeting will be held online at 1pm on 6 November.
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