Boaters' frustrations over Rochdale Canal problems

A series of weeks-long closures has made the canal, which winds its way through Failsworth and Chadderton, virtually unnavigable, just 21 years after the canal was fully reopened.

Following more than two weeks of closure from late May to early June, the canal has seen months of subsequent overlapping closures, with broken gates, paddles, sunken boats, and blown cills adding to a chaotic summer.

The canal has also been used as a dumping ground by vandals targetting the Firwood Community Woodland.

In April, a canal boat record store became stuck in the Failsworth portion of the canal after hitting a "rug or mattress".

Some boaters have even called the waterway the dirtiest they've encountered, with one cruiser vowing that he would "never again" attempt the canal.

Now, a broken gate in Manchester city centre and a blown cill in Miles Platting means boaters won’t be able to reach the city centre until September.

The Canal and River Trust, which manages the waterway, says that "climate change-driven floods and droughts" have made it "increasingly vulnerable".

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Those looking to travel eastward to the Bridgewater Canal or Manchester Ship Canal are further out of luck – a damaged heel post at the Princess Street lock has blocked the canal for all boaters since July 6, with repairs not scheduled until September 20.

Malcolm Bridge cruises alongside his wife Barbara on their narrowboat, "Ampere". He bought his first boat in 1975.

He’s blamed poor management and a lack of government funding for the issues he’s experienced on the canal network – which he says is now "going backwards".

Having tried to make the circular journey from Altrincham to Ashton, then Uppermill to Manchester twice, he has decided to abort the attempt due to the series of closures.

Malcolm said: “It’s just kiboshed the trip completely. We arrived in Sowerby Bridge, which is where the Rochdale Canal starts, on June 2 intending to have a couple of days there and then carry on to Manchester, from where we would have gone to Wigan, Liverpool and then Lancaster.

“But we still haven’t got to Manchester.

“We’ve been down to the top of the Manchester 18 (Lock 65 in Failsworth) once, on the grounds that the lock in Manchester was likely to be re-opened shortly, only to get an e-mail saying it wasn’t. We waited for a few days then we had to go back to Littleborough.

“The problem is we need to take on water and empty our toilet, and Littleborough is the only place on the west side of the canal where that’s possible. The next place is in Manchester, beyond where the stoppage is.

“It’s annoying more than disappointing, because of the sheer incompetence.

"In the old days, the carrying days, canal companies had systems in place to deal with problems of this nature, and they would often deal with them in a matter of two or three days, and certainly no more than a week or so.

“Now that it’s a national organisation with no real pressures on it of that nature, it’s all down to cost.

"The local guys here don’t have a boat, so they can’t get to places without closing roads and using cranes, which is what is holding things up in Manchester.”

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Malcolm waited near lock 65 for days (Image: Jack Fifield, Newsquest)

Other boaters and canal enthusiasts concurred with Malcolm.

Chris Royle said: “The mighty Rochdale is effectively 'closing by stealth'. It's a real shame because it is one of the best canals in the known world.”

Boater Deena Ingham added: “We got within five miles of getting onto the Rochdale and lock problems resulted in a 98-mile, 86-lock detour. We now hope to get onto the Rochdale in September!”

The Rochdale Canal was fully opened in 1804 and was used to carry cargo, including coal, agricultural produce, and materials for the region’s bustling textile industry.

However, by the 1950s, commercial carrying had virtually finished and the canal, which was still in private hands, closed.

The canal was restored decades later, with the full canal re-opened in 2002.

Prior to 2012, the canal was managed by British Waterways, which was wholly owned by the government.

However, this was replaced by the Canal and River Trust charity in July 2012.

According to the government, its policy is that the Canal and River Trust should become "progressively more self-sufficient financially".

The Rochdale Canal runs through Failsworth and Chadderton (Image: Jack Fifield, Newsquest)

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Canal bosses respond

A Canal and River Trust spokesperson said: “We share the frustration that boaters are experiencing on the Rochdale Canal.

"The 229-year-old canal, along with the other 2,000 miles of canals and rivers in our care, needs care and attention at a time when climate change-driven floods and droughts make it increasingly vulnerable.

“We always try to plan repairs to keep canals open for boating.

"However, when there are unplanned problems that block navigation or are a safety risk, we act as quickly as possible.

"Several of the repairs we’ve carried out this summer have been due to factors outside our control- boats damaging the locks, and even sinking, and in one case a canal-side third-party building becoming unstable.

“While most of the canal is expected to be open to navigation by 1 September, at Lock 87, Princess Street, Manchester, a large crane needs to be brought to site, which will involve closing a city centre bus lane.

"We’ve been given permission to carry out this work on 20 September, although we are continuing to work with all involved to try and agree an earlier date.

“The government’s recent announcement of cuts to the future funding provided to the trust and continued lack of provision for inflation, meaning a reduction of over £300m in funding in real terms over a 10-year period, significantly deepens these challenges.

"We are asking all those who care about the canals to join our campaign to Keep Canals Alive and write to their local MP to share their concerns.”

Cruiser Malcolm also called on the government to provide "adequate funding".

Government responds

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesperson said: “We support canals across the country and recognise the benefits they bring to local communities.

“Since the trust was first created in 2012, we have been clear they would have to increasingly move towards alternative sources of funding.

"We have awarded the trust a significant £550m in funding and are supporting them with a further £590m between now and 2037.

“We have been discussing this with the charity for some time and have been offering support on how it can increase income from other sources, as per the original objective of the grant funding.”