Canal closes 17 locks as heatwave returns

A section of Basingstoke Canal has been closed after drought conditions and prolonged dry weather caused low water levels.

The Brookwood and Deepcut lock flights, between locks 12 and 28, have been shut until further notice by Hampshire County Council, which owns the canal jointly with Surrey County Council.

The closure affects 17 locks, including the Deepcut flight, where boats climb about 100ft (30.5m) over two miles (3.2km) to reach the canal's summit level.

Hampshire County Council has been approached for comment on the closure and how long restrictions are expected to remain in place.

The affected locks are usually only open three days a week to help preserve water but will remain closed for the foreseeable.

According to Inland Waterways Association, the canal has been short of water since it reopened in the early 1990s, and all the locks, except Ash Lock, are often closed for prolonged periods during the summer.

The Basingstoke canal begins in Woodham in Surrey and runs to Greywell in Hampshire.

Around 32 miles (50.2km) of the waterway is navigable and there are a total of 29 locks along the route.

Surrey is among the counties officially in drought, with Wisley's weather station having gone more than 50 days without recording any rainfall.

Water restrictions are also in place with hosepipe bans across the county.

An amber heat health alert is in place for Surrey and south-east England until Friday evening to cover high and even extreme temperatures, up to a possible 37C (98.6F) by Thursday.

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