Welcome & North East Virtual User Forum

12th January 5.00 6.30pm Agenda

• Welcome Eve Boocock, Boating and Customer Service Manager • Regional Overview Sean McGinley, Regional Director • Operational Update Steve Smith, Regional Operations Manager • Dredge & Veg update Stuart Moodie, Heritage & Environment Manager • Engineering Update Samantha Colley, Principal Engineer • Boating Update Matthew Symonds, National Boating Manager • Volunteering Update Peter McCabe, Community Engagement Manager • Questions Meeting rules

• Please ensure that you remain on mute during presentations and whilst other people are talking.

• Use the chat features to participate in asking questions through the presentations.

• If possible please have your video on

• Ensure mobile phones are on silent

• Sean McGinley Regional Director Introduction

• Welcome and a Happy New Year • COVID19 update • A&C Breach • Harthill Reservoir COVID 19

• In these challenging times our aim is to support the national effort and to keep everyone safe and to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to visit our waterways as it helps with their wellbeing • Please note that as of 4 January 2021 and the re-introduction of lockdown, all navigation in and Wales should be limited to essential use only. Boaters who are not currently occupying their boat should not take overnight breaks on their boat during the lockdown. • Those living aboard are advised to limit their navigation, moving only a minimal amount to access essential facilities or services when necessary. • Boat licence terms & conditions regarding moving every 14 days will be suspended until the restrictions come to an end. • Our towpaths remain open for people to enjoy whilst ensuring that they follow advice around social distancing at all times, keeping their distance from both other people and moored boats. Serious issues should be reported to the police. Breach on the A&C

The breach occurred in the early hours of Sunday 20th December.

Flooding of farmland up to the M62 occurred Breach on the A&C

• With the assistance of other agencies, our contractor Keir and a helicopter, we made the site safe by Wednesday 23rd December, placing several hundred tonnes of stone and clay in the hole. • We continued to inspect the site twice a day across the holidays and placed more stone and clay on the 28th December. • Some water is still being lost but this is being removed by the IDB pumping station and so the situation is stable. Breach on the A&C

• The immediate challenge is to manage water levels in the 16km pound and to provide as much water as we can to Goole dock across the caisson which was closed to protect the dock. • The next step is to construct a cofferdam two rows of piles - across the canal either side of the breach site. We can then drain this section, get a close look, and work out what went wrong. • Whilst the cofferdam is in place we will over pump or flume water from one side to the other to maintain water levels on both sides. Breach on the A&C

• The design of the cofferdam is complete and we are now mobilising with the intention of installing the piles later this month. • Depending on what is found when the cofferdam is drained, we will design a permanent repair and then implement it. • Difficult to say how long the navigation will be closed without knowing what the problem is but it will probably be closed for a few months. Harthill Reservoir

A detailed reservoir inspection in May 2020 found the reservoir to be safe, but in need of some improvement works and so we plan to give the reservoir a £5 million upgrade to improve its resilience. This year the project team will be Harthill working through feasibility and Reservoir optioneering phases, which will include a range of ground investigation and topographical studies, as well as heritage and ecological assessments to inform designs.

Works will begin in 2022 and will involve redesigning the overflow spillway and exploring opportunities for further operational improvement works to the reservoir.

Project completion is expected in early 2023 During the investigations and construction works, water levels in the reservoir will be kept lower than normal and this may have an impact on the amount of water delivered to the canal Questions? Steven Smith Regional Operations Manager February flooding from Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis in consecutive weekends.

March a pandemic strikes and we have a national lockdown to navigate through.

July to October Aire & Calder breach at Newbridge on 20th December 2020. Storms Ciara & Dennis

Estimated £4.5m of damage to the regional infrastructure over the course of 2 weekends. - Secured a proportion of this funding required for repairs. - Engaged MPs and councils in affected areas. - Key member of the Calderdale Resilience Forum. - Delays to the repairs programme as a result of national lockdown.

Figure of Three Locks destruction was the tip of the iceberg. Storms Ciara & Dennis

Park Nook lock (Calder & Hebble) Woodside Mills (Calder & Hebble) Brookfoot lock (Calder & Hebble) Storms Ciara & Dennis

Horbury (Calder & Hebble) Anchor Pit (Calder & Hebble) Golcar Brook (HNC) Storms Ciara & Dennis

Cinderhills (Rochdale canal) White Lee Culvert (Rochdale canal) Holmcoat Road (Rochdale canal) National lockdown

Essential safety critical works only for a 3-month period. - Water control.

Huge increase in number of towpath users. - How can we keep our team safe?

Furlough represented an opportunity to protect the financial future of the Trust. -

Coincided with a long, hot, dry spell of weather that impacted water resources, particularly on the Leeds- Liverpool canal. Latest Position on Angling and COVID-19

• Angling is a permitted activity during the third national lockdown in England. • The Department for Digital, Media, Culture, and Sport (DCMS) confirmed the following: — “fishing is allowed as exercise so long as participants adhere to the rules on staying local, gathering limits, social distancing and limiting the time spent outdoors” • This has also been confirmed by DEFRA: — “Cabinet Office have now officially confirmed that angling / fishing can be considered exercise and are hence permitted.” • If you don't have anywhere local to fish, you must take your daily exercise in a different way. Return to the waterways

3-months lost, minimal progress on flood repairs and now peak season for customer service side of role.

Sluice repairs across Aire & Calder, Calder & Hebble, and South Yorkshire Navigations, Leeds-Liverpool.

Increased rates of lock gate failures through degradation and misuse. Misterton, Stret, Bank Newton, Bingley 5-rise. Understand why failures have occurred so we can absorb the learning.

Standedge Tunnel operation in world of social distancing. Revised operating model needed. A different experience to usual.

Frequent positive COVID cases and self-isolation periods impacting resource levels throughout. Water resource challenges. - Leeds-Liverpool - Chesterfield - Narrow?

Maintained COVID restrictions for a period?

Further growth of volunteering opportunities. - Rangers. - Water control. - Reservoir monitoring.

Stuart Moodie Heritage & Environment Manager Dredging and Vegetation management update Dredging update

• Program for 2020-21 — Chesterfield Br 54-66 due to start Jan 2021 — A&C Navigation freight dredging five locations dredged in 2020, further works planned for 2021 — Y&NE spot dredging works completed to dat: SSYN; River Ouse, Goole; A&CN Beal Lock; Bank Dole Lock. — Dredging resulting from flooding, Rochdale and Calder and Hebble - complete — HNC arising dredging complete. Dredging update

• Provisional program for 2021-24 — 2021-22: Y&NE spot dredging, — 2022-23: Leeds Liverpool — 2023-24: Chesterfield, Br 31-53 Vegetation management update

• Program of routine maintenance of vegetation including: — Towpath and embankment mowing — Reservoir works — High priority trees — Aquatic weed — Non-native invasive species, terrestrial and aquatic Yorkshire & North East Region Priority Works Programme 2021/22

Samantha Colley Regional PW funding 2021

Allocation of PW funding 2021 Total Spend £16.5M 1.3M,8% 1.6M,9%

1.9M,11% YNE Allocation - £2.5m 2.5M,16%

5.1M,31% 4.1M,25%

EM YNE NW WM LSE WSW Priority Works Plan

Engineering Review • Notifications are reviewed by the engineers and ranked against a severity and urgency criteria to determine the plan • Include lower ranked notifications into stoppage locations to create a one stop approach

Specific works requested by Others Identify leakage and areas where water conservation is required Pocklington, Huddersfield Narrow, Leeds and Liverpool, Rochdale and Chesterfield Canals • Move specific locks back in the plan as a one stop approach to create efficiencies • Proactive Access Improvements, mainly for Inspections. • Enterprise coordination with funders on Tees Navigation, Rochdale Canal towpath bids, Pocklington Restoration • Collaborating with Priority Projects eg Dowley Gap, leakage stopping. • Timing of both Intermediate & Permanent Repairs to Bingley 5 Rise gates. Priority Works B21 Plan Headline Summary

B21 Summary of the headline figures

Overall numbers of zx notifications:- 197

Total No. of Packages 113

No. of stoppage Packages gate replacements 15

No. of stoppage Packages gate re-line or water conservation related 7

No of other stoppage Packages 8

No of HPW Packages 93

Achieved following numerous iterations with all key stakeholders Priority Works Themes

The main headline theme is one of Conservation As this looks to alleviate the challenges of our reservoir storage problems.

Reservoir Works Southfield, sealing works Pebley -

Leakage Focus There is a focus on reducing leakage, including losses at locks, from Boils, Cills, Gates, Sluices, plus those through washwalls & embankments. This will save an estimated; 2.5 Ml/d (Addressing 39 associated zx notifications)

Improvements to Lock operation There is a focus on making lock operation easier and safer for our customers. These works include, Repairing lock landings, sluices, lock ladders, filling voids and repairing heel grips. 25 associated ZX notifications have been highlighted, which have been ranked, prioritised and proposed to the Regional Director Cops teams, ensuring that investment is correctly focussed from all sides. Breakdown of Spend by Asset/Work Type

Total 1,800,000

1,600,000

1,400,000

1,200,000

1,000,000

Total 800,000

600,000

400,000

200,000

- Aqueduct Bank Repairs Bridge Repairs Culvert Feeder Leak Repairs Lock Repairs Mooring Reservoir Sluice Repairs Towpath Tunnel Washwall Weir Repairs Repairs Repairs Repairs Repairs Repairs Repairs Repairs Repairs Stoppages Gate Replacement

Func Loc Description Comments No. Leaves

TN-001-012 Barrage Lock Repair Flood Gates 2 Lock 25 - Replace Bottom Gates & Lock 26 Replace LL-178-013 Lock 25, Bingley 5 Rise Bottom Gates 4 Replace Top & Bottom FK-008-004 Thorne Lock Gates 4 Replace Top & Bottom CH-047-004 Lock 36, Turnerwood Top Lock Gates 3

CA-017-004 Lock 17, Battyeford Replace Bottom Gates 2

AL-026-003-03Lock 11, Lock 11, Ferrybridge Flood Lock Replace Bottom Gates 2 Stoppages - Other

Fuc. Loc. Work Description

RD-010-003 - Lock 9, Blackpit Hebden Bridge, Lock leakage

DS - RD-007 - Rochdale Canal - 007, Washwall Repairs

PO-010-004 - Lock 8, Gardam Lock, Repairs to brickwork and General Repairs

LL-202-001 - Bridge 225, Mill Bridge, Washwall Repairs under bridge

LL-143 - Leeds & Liverpool Canal - 143, Subsidence in washwall/mooring

HN-013 - Huddersfield Narrow Canal - 013, Washwall Repairs

HB-004-003 - Lock 6, Riddings Lock, Planking hilti nails corroded

HB-004-001-01 - Lock 7, Fieldhouse, Boil on H/G cill

CH-044-003 - Lock 46, Bottom Lock, Haggonsfield, Sink hole & void in top lock landing

CH-036-005-01 - Lock 53 Top Gate, Heal Post Clapper Board Missing

CH-008-001 - Bridge 75, Gringley Middle Bridge, Under walk being undermined

CA-020-012 - Lock 19 Top Gate, Boil on H/G cill

CA-015-004 - Lock 16, Cooper Bridge, Boil on Top and Bottom Gates & Fender Repairs

CA-015 - Calder & Hebble Navigation - 015, 0575m Washwall Repairs Priority Works Examples

Collapsed upstream landing on Lock 31E Collapsed washwall on Sheffield and Tinsley Huddersfield Narrow Priority Works Examples

Cill Leak Lock 19 Calder & Hebble Cill Leak Lock 7 Fieldhouse Lock Huddersfield Broad Priority Works Examples

Failed waste weir apron, Weir 38 East Marton, Leeds & Liverpool. Priority Works Examples

Circumferential crack in Aqueduct 53, Bingley 5 Rotten heel post Lock 36 Chesterfield Canal Rise, Leeds and Liverpool Priority Works Examples

Tees Barrage Flood Lock Gate Replacement Priority Works Examples

Failed washwall at Cow Lane Bridge, Aire & Calder Anchor Pit River Weir Profile has been lost over the years causing low water levels upstream. Priority Works Examples

Lock 25 & 26 Bingley Five Rise heel and head post failure during summer months. Priority Projects B21

• Figure of Three Lock 26 • Tinsley Pumping Main • Sparth Reservoir • Harthill Reservoir Spillway Replacement • Pebley Reservoir Spillway Repairs • Reservoir Tunnel Leak and Bywash Works • Leeds and Liverpool Swing Bridge Replacement Programme Gawflat Swing Bridge • Stanley Ferry Aqueduct Principal Inspection • Micklethwaite Swing Bridge Refurbishment • Tees Barrage Penstock Automation • Tees Barrage Gate Cylinder Replacement • A&C Freight Dredging Figure of Three Lock 24 Calder and Hebble Navigation

Samantha Colley Figure of Three Damage after Storm Ciara 2020 Figure of Three - Progress Figure of Three - Progress Figure of Three - Progress Matthew Symonds National Boating Manager Boating Updates

Matthew Symonds National Boating Manager (Leisure Boating) Boater Report 2020

third Boater Report to explain how the Trust applies its finance to benefit boaters Leisure licences contributed £21.6 million, around 10% of our total Boater Report 2020

We receive £41.6 million directly from boating be able to take care of the waterways without your contribution, Alongside other sources of income that are essential. Boater Report 2020

We generate money in a variety of other ways - Our government grant of £50m a year up to 2027 Income from our investments generated £51.7m in 2019/20 Utilities income (water and power) just over £33m Boater Report 2020

The majority of our total charitable expenditure is spent on waterways operations, maintenance and repairs Boater Report 2020

Our staff and volunteers work year round to ensure the waterways are maintained for navigation Find the Boater Report canalrivertrust.org.uk/boaterreports Boater survey 2020 Boater survey Yorkshire and North East

• Overall boater satisfaction

canals and rivers over the past year, overall, how satisfied were you with your experience? Boater satisfaction Very satisfied 28% nationally is 60% (very/slightly satisfied) Slightly satisfied 32%

Neither satisfied, nor 17% dissatisfied

Slightly dissatisfied 16%

Very dissatisfied 6%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% % of respondents Boater survey Yorkshire and North East

• Overall boater satisfaction North West Q13 Thinking about your boating on the Canal & River

satisfied were you with your experience?

Very satisfied Slightly satisfied Neither satisfied, nor dissatisfied Slightly dissatisfied Very dissatisfied Yorkshire and North East Boated in more than one region 32% 35% 8% 21% 4% boater satisfaction 50% West Midlands 29% 36% 17% 14% 4% (very/slightly satisfied) Wales & South West 26% 46% 17% 6% 5%

North West 32% 27% 17% 15% 9%

North Wales 33% 22% 33% 11% 0%

North East & Yorkshire 19% 31% 23% 16% 11%

London & South East 25% 27% 20% 20% 9%

East Midlands 28% 30% 23% 13% 6%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% % of recipients Boater survey Yorkshire and North East

• Propensity to recommend

Q14 How likely are you to recommend the Canal & River Trust waterway to other boaters?

Definitely 3% not 62% of boaters nationally would recommend their Probably not 9% waterways to others

Don't know 7% (Probably/definitely)

Possibly 19%

Probably 27%

Definitely 35%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% % of repondents Boater survey Yorkshire and North East

• Propensity to recommend 50% of YNE boaters would recommend their Q14 How likely are you to recommend the Canal & River Trust waterway to other boaters? waterways to others

Definitely Probably Possibly Don't know Probably not Definitely not

Boated in more than one region 38% 28% 16% 8% 6% 3%

West Midlands 35% 30% 18% 7% 10% 2%

Wales & South West 31% 31% 23% 6% 8% 2%

North West 37% 26% 20% 6% 8% 3%

North Wales 33% 22% 22% 0% 22% 0%

Yorkshire & North East 23% 27% 27% 5% 8% 10%

London & South East 32% 23% 19% 7% 15% 5%

East Midlands 37% 27% 20% 6% 8% 2%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% % of respondents Boater survey Yorkshire and North East

• Overall upkeep Only 20% of boaters score 8+ for overall upkeep

Q12 Please indicate, using the scale provided, how you rate the overall upkeep of the Canal & River

2016 4 3 7 10 15 13 22 17 6 2 1

2017 4 3 7 9 13 14 23 18 7 2

2018 5 5 8 8 13 14 21 18 6 2

2019 6 4 10 11 15 13 22 12 5 2

2020 5 3 9 11 15 14 23 14 4 2

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 % of respondents

1 Very poor 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Excellent No opinion Boater survey Yorkshire and North East

• Overall upkeep 6% of YNE boaters score 8+ for overall

Q12 Please indicate, using the scale provided, how you rate the overall upkeep of the Canal & River

Boated in more than one region 8% 2% 9% 10% 16% 17% 27% 15% 2%1%

West Midlands 3% 3% 9% 9% 20% 14% 26% 11% 3% 1%

Wales & South West 2% 2% 2% 6% 9% 5% 17% 8% 3%

North West 2% 4% 6% 6% 14% 13% 27% 9% 5% 2%

North Wales 1% 1% 1% 11% 1% 11% 1% 1%

Yorkshire & North East 5% 1% 3% 5% 16% 4% 18% 3% 2% 1%

London & South East 6% 3% 11% 14% 17% 12% 15% 13% 3% 2%

East Midlands 3% 4% 10% 10% 13% 10% 24% 20% 3% 3%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% % of respondents

1 Very poor 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Excellent Boater survey Improving boater satisfaction

• Regional & national teams to respond to areas of low satisfaction - Investment in maintenances / responding to faults - Addressing dredging / vegetation management

• Improving Communication - Responding to, actioning and feeding back on customer issues - Improving ways we engage with customers

• Improve boater participation - Engaging with elected boater reps - Boat Licence Terms & Conditions consultation

• Consultation launched on 28th September and ran until 21st December • Over 3150 responses • Feedback has highlighted areas within some proposals where we can make them practical and appropriate or improve on the clarity • The proposal regarding larger-dimensioned boats has received the most

• detailed result analysis beginning this month • Work has begun on consolidating the remaining, existing T&Cs into an easier to use document • Q&A sessions regarding the proposals with IWA, NABO, NBTA, HNBC completed Other boating news

• www.canalrivertrust.org.uk/busylondon

• Canal & River Trust / British Marine Research New research study about the benefits of boating on our canals and inland waterways.

• Online system for pre-booked structures/passage https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/planning- your-boat-trip/booking-your-passage-online Peter McCabe Community & Engagement Manager Volunteering Development Update

Pete McCabe Community Engagement Manager Volunteer Development Action Plan

• Better connection to Volunteering/Third Sector Networks • Better connection with our communities through new volunteer Community Outreach Role • Better connection internally; sharing what we do, case studies, visibility of volunteering, joint meetings • Better connection = Better wellbeing

73 Volunteer Development Action Plan

Our Key Objectives: 1. Greater support for volunteers and improved volunteer experience 2. Developing new regional volunteering roles 3. Diversifying opportunities and volunteer base 4. Partner groups Mapping, management and growth 5. Improved measurement of volunteering experience 6. Delivering national programmes Questions?