Business, boaters, and wildlife hit by canal closures

Campaigners are calling for more to be done after a popular waterway in Derbyshire has faced leaking locks, low water levels, repeated closures and a lack of maintenance.

Part of the Erewash Canal was forced to shut at the end of June due to low water levels, and remains closed, the Erewash Canal Association said.

The association - a group of volunteers who help to look after the waterway - said the issues were affecting wildlife, businesses and boaters, and were asking for better communication from the Canal and River Trust (CRT).

A spokesperson for the CRT said they acknowledged their communication with the association could have been clearer in recent weeks and has apologised.

Erewash Canal, which starts at the River Trent and passes through Long Eaton, Ilkeston before ending up at Langley Mill, is a dead-end with no throughfare so keeping the canal in-use relies on people choosing to go up there.

It was also shut on four other occasions in June for between one and four days, the Erewash Canal Association said.

Stacey Reynolds, from the association, said in comparison "last summer the canal rarely closed - maybe for one week".

"Last summer was very warm as well," she added.

Doug Swain, chairman of Erewash Canal Association, said: "We all want to make sure that the canal remains open.

"The biggest concern at the moment is lack of water, but that's not just here. That's happening all around the country.

"The frustration that we've had just recently is more to do with lack of information coming from CRT as to what they're doing about the problems that we're experiencing on this canal.

"We've had people's concerns being expressed about the wildlife and fish, and that's because of the water levels being dangerously low.

"Despite us trying to contact CRT they haven't returned our calls and given us any confidence in whether they're doing anything or not."

One of the businesses affected by the closures includes Langley Mill Boatyard at the top of canal.

Dan Cauldwell, who runs the business, said his boat workshop, Drydock, had been fully booked but "once the dry weather hit we've seen an immediate stop in all our business and passing trade".

He added: "We've currently seen a loss of about £2,000 in the past 10 days due to the canal being closed."

The 46-year-old added: "I have to say the local [CRT] task force team are doing a great job, they're doing what they can. The problem is there's not enough of them.

"The Erewash is the most wonderful asset for the local community and we should all be fighting for it."

A spokesperson for the CRT said it valued their working relationship with the Erewash Canal Association and the support they give to care for the canal.

"Thanks to this partnership we've this week been awarded Green Flag status for the canal, which is fantastic recognition for all the hard work that goes in to maintaining it for people and nature.

"Our historic canals are increasingly feeling the impacts of climate change and, with very little rainfall and recent extreme temperatures, the main challenge on the canal at the moment is maintaining water levels.

"Our teams are out on the canal every day, moving water to where it's needed. These problems have been exacerbated by sluices within locks being left open, both unintentionally by boaters and through acts of vandalism.

"This has meant whole sections of the canal have been drained and had to be closed to boats while water levels recover."

They added they were working with the association to get "special water conservation locks fitted to prevent misuse of the lock sluices", were planning to replace lock gates at Stenson's Lock to help maintain water levels, and also dredge "problem spots" on the canal.

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