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Home , Aldersley, Bratch, Caldon Canal, Coventry, Curdworth, Diglis

West Annual Report

2020/21

canalrivertrust.org.uk Introduction A year in numbers Introduction from Regional Director & Regional to maintain, protect and develop the Advisory Board Chair £20m total spend network in 2020/21

Delivered With a further miles Whilst Covid has dramatically changed all our lives and £2.6m £1.2m +35 – 41% 559 of externally delivered More people have used our of made life extremely difficult for so many, over this time, funded projects by other towpaths this year, with a 41% our canals have been discovered by many more people organisations, increase in users at , and and £4m benefitting 35% increase at . Footfall and miles as a place for nature, exercise and wellbeing. secured for the network has also increased in 6 8 3 future years and of towpaths

Last October, we reached an During this time, we have Alongside the physical works, important milestone, when continued to work with our we are working closely with the Revolution Walk – along the partners across the region to Organising Committee’s Physical Mainline Canal from make important improvements to Activity & Wellbeing programme, the centre of Birmingham to our waterways. We’ve spent over looking at leaving a legacy of £4.1m 26 900+ Chance Glassworks in Sandwell £20million on management and engagement on our waterways. priority works – received the Green Flag maintenance across the network, reservoirs access points For both the Coventry UK City of programme delivered Award. We have since submitted and we’ve worked with thousands to our canals Culture 2021 and the Birmingham Green Flag applications for the of volunteers wanting to make , (from Coventry a difference to their local canal we look forward to continuing to Basin to ), environment. Despite restrictions, work with our very wide range of and Stoke-on-Trent. A further over 75,000 hours of volunteer partners to bring more people to five sites are in the pipeline. time was given to our region. the waterways. We are all working Dozens Delivering £6m £600,000 As we came out of lockdown, and Although the pandemic delayed to deliver an exciting and varied of projects bringing new activity to of canal infrastructure works secured from to the canals re-opened for boating, the start of the Coventry UK canal based programme of events, our network and introducing more in time for Birmingham 2022 tackle invasive plant species we helped waterways businesses City of Culture 2021 until May, from theatre and art, to sport and people to waterway wellbeing Commonwealth Games across our network to interpret new guidelines on our towpath improvement works festivals. Something for everyone. operating safely. It was wonderful in the area were completed on to see boats moving on our time, and event planning and network again, bringing back their community engagement work colour and vibrancy. continues. We are extremely excited about the opportunity this Lockdown presented us with event is providing to bring more Over 1,700 £1.4m Record many new challenges, including people to the canal in Coventry. species of flowering plants of towpath improvements on managing the needs of all users of Adnan Saif recorded in Birmingham & the the Coventry Canal ahead of our network under unprecedented The spotlight remains on our Regional Director numbers , with our canals Coventry UK City of Culture circumstances. Sadly, it also region as we continue to prepare holding and connecting many 2021 celebrations of boat movements, towpath visits brought more litter, fly tipping for the Birmingham 2022 species across the landscape and customer service enquiries and anti-social behaviour to our Commonwealth Games. Our waterways in a limited number £6million infrastructure works, John Hudson OBE of urban locations. We continue mostly through partner grant Chair – Regional to work with our volunteers funding, are already well underway, Advisory Board and local authority partners to improving our network in time to overcome these challenges. welcome the tens of thousands of extra visitors expected. 7,386 boats 250 years 75,000+ use West Midlands canals since the hours of time given over each year first opened by Volunteers

2 Canal & River Trust West Midlands Annual Report 2020/21 3 Region-wide Region-wide Region-wide Three sections of towpath Macclesfield Birmingham & Coventry & Middlewich resurfaced as part of the Leek Revolution Walk awarded Warwickshire Council Transforming the Trent Harecastle Leek lock flight Valley enterprise project Tunnel Green Flag status resolved to work with the Canal 5 Macclesfield tunnel Westport Stockton Middlewich lock & River Trust to actively promote Forge Leek Lake Brook Locks Chester Kidsgrove Canal & River Trust office Corporate partnership secured Wildlife cameras installed at Llangollen Harecastle Leek Tunnel lock flight their local canal network and Belvide Reservoir SSSI to help Tunnel Tunnel places to visit with the Aston Villa Foundation, Stoke Flight 5 5 tunnel its opportunities for leisure, Stoke-on-Trent Westport Caldon Canal record species present in the area Stockton Consall Forge adopting a stretch of Tame Lake Brook Locksrailway station wellbeing and employment 6 Canal & River Trust office Llangollen Valley Canal in Whitchurch 5 Adderley Locks cared forFroghall by CanalTunnel & River Trust 2,000 people took part in a Stoke Flight 5 places to visit £1.4m towpath and access Ellesmere & Grindley Llangollen Canal Macclesfield Stoke-on-Trent free Halloween Pumpkin Trail M6 Meaford Flight unnavigable / under restoration Port Loop development at Brook 4 Middlewich lock railway station improvements on the Coventry StoneChester Flight Leek Chirk Aqueduct 6 Kidsgrove Ladywood continues to improve and Festive Trail events at 4 Stone Harecastle Leek Tunnel other water bodies lock flight Canal from Bridge 4 to the Ellesmere Market 5 Tyrley Locks Whitchurch 5 Adderley Locks cared for by Canal & River Trust Prees Tunnel Shardlow Fradley Pool Nature Reserve Tunnel Drayton & Grindley 5 Caldon Canal tunnel access to the canalside Ellesmere Westport Stockton M6 Hawkesbury Junction u Consall Forge Meaford Flight unnavigable / under restoration r Branch Trent & Mersey CanalLake Brook Locks Brook 4 Canal & River Trust office m d Llangollen Stone Flight y Bedford Street Bridge repairs n Chirk Aqueduct 4 a Froghall Tunnel Roundhouse Birmingham C l Stone other water bodies Montgomery 5 Tyrley Locks places to visit Repairs made to Coventry Basin g Ellesmere MarketStoke Flight 5 s Llangollen Canal n Prees Stoke-on-Trent on the Caldon Canal Highly e Shardlow l E StaffordTunnel opens this summer a Drayton Canal Great railway station Weighbridge building, thanks to Norbury Junctionu 6

W r Branch Trent & Mersey Canal Commended in the Institution of

m d Haywood5 Whitchurch Adderley Locks cared for by Canal & River Trust y a grant from Historic n

a l C & Grindley Civil Engineers West Midlands Ellesmere Montgomery g M6 Shrewsbury & Newport Canal s Cowley Shropshire Union CanalMeaford Flight unnavigable / under restoration n e Brook 4 l E Stone Flight

a Region 2020 Merit awards Chirk Aqueduct Tunnel Canal Great Norbury4 Junction Bank protection works and Stone W other water bodies 5 Tyrley Locks Burton upon Trent Ellesmere Market

Prees Wyrley &

Haywood Shardlow Black Country Tunnel Shrewsbury Drayton towpath upgrades on

u

r BranchEssingtonShrewsbury & NewportFradley Canal JunctionTrent & Mersey Canal Botterham Bridge, locks and m d Cowley y n Rugeley Canal at a R l C iv Montgomery Tunnel Work carried out by Sandwell g Canal e s circular weir on the n r e l S E Stafford

a Wyrley & e Canal Great Norbury Junction Coventry

Metropolitan Borough Council v W

M6 Toll Burton upon Trent & Canal Grade e Shrewsbury

M54

Haywood r Lions Club adopted a stretch n Telford

Canal

to manage the vegetation Shrewsbury &M6 RNewport Canal II listed by ive Cowley Rugeley Canal of the r S Tunnel and improve the pathways Wolverhampton e Walsall Wyrley & Coventry ve LocksShrewsbury r M54 to improve visitor access £170,000 secured from European Wolverhampton n Canal Telford EssingtonAtherstone Fradley Junction Canal £1.6m programme of reservoir R 21 Locks M6 ive M42 Canal Agriculture Farming Rural r S 8 11 works started at Earlswood Lakes ev WolverhamptonCoventry Walsall Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal e 7 Rushall Locks M54 M6 Toll Ashby Canal The Black Country was awarded Development Fund Rural Tourism rn Walsall Telford Curdworth Locks LocksCanal BCN Locks Perry Barr Curdworth 11 M6 Canal Wolverhampton 21 UNESCO Global Geopark Status 3 Locks Tunnel Locks Infrastructure Programme to The Bratch Wolverhampton Walsall 8 M42 Bridgnorth 7 Netherton 13 Birmingham & Rushall Canal 11 Staffordshire & WorcestershireLocks CanalCanal AtherstoneRushall Locks improve a 600 meter stretch Wolverhampton 21 Walsall 7 Ashby Canal Newtown Canal BCN Locks Locks 11 Curdworth Locks Natural England elevated Saltwells Tunnel 11 8 Rushall Canal M42 11 Perry Barr Curdworth Shropshire of towpath along the Trent & Staffordshire6 & WorcestershireBirmingham Canal Hawkesbury Tunnel 13 5 TheWalsall Bratch 7 Rushall Locks3 Locks Ashby Canal Nature Reserve to National status 6 Curdworth Locks Birmingham & Canal 16 8 City CentreBridgnorthBCNM6 JunctionLocks Perry Barr CurdworthDudley 11 7 Netherton 13 Mersey Canal at Dunsley Tunnel 4 Windmill 6 Locks Tunnel The Bratch 3 DudleyOxford Birmingham Tunnel & Fazeley Canal £347,000 secured from the Newtown Bridgnorth Dudley 7 Netherton 13 Tunnel End Dudley CoventryStourbridge 11 Biodiversity and access Newtown Stourbridge Tunnel CanalFazeley6 Canal 5 Birmingham Hawkesbury European Agriculture Farming Cookley BrandwoodStourbridge Tunnel 11 13 Canal6 Canal 5 Birmingham16 M6 Hawkesbury6 M6 improvements on the Tunnel M5 Tunnel Dunsley Tunnel13 8 6 City Centre Junction Rural Development Fund Rural Dudley No1 & Canal 16 6 4 M6WindmillJunction Oxford Dunsley Tunnel 4 8 6 City Centre M42 CoventryWindmill End Oxford Old Mainline Canal No2 Canals Wast Hills End Stourbridge Coventry Coventry Canal Tourism Infrastructure Programme Worcestershire Tunnel StourbridgeCanal BasinCookleyBrandwood Newbold Tunnel Brandwood Canal Cookley 5 Knowle Hillmorton Locks M6 M6 Worcester & Tunnel Tunnel Tunnel Rugby Canal Tunnel Canal to upgrade one mile of towpath DudleyLocks No1 & M5 Dudley No1 & M5 3 Towpath improvement works M42 Coventry Severn Kayaks established Stourport Basins Birmingham Earlswood No2 Canals Wast Hills M42 Wast Hills M42 Coventry on the Llangollen Canal No2 CanalsM45 Canal Basin Newbold Tunnel Shrewley Tunnel Knowle Canal Basin Newboldcompleted Tunnel on Wyrley & 6 Lakes 21Worcester & Grand 5 Tunnel Rugby KnowleHillmorton Locks on the and Stourport-on-Severn Canal Tunnel Locks 5 3 Rugby Hillmorton Locks M42 Worcester & Locks Essington 3Canal in Walsall 30 Stourport BasinsLocks BirminghamHatton LocksEarlswoodUnion M42 Restoration work on the on the Staffordshire & Locks Stockton Shrewley M45 Leeds Droitwich 6 Stourport Basins LakesBirmingham21 EarlswoodGrand 6 Stourport-on-Severn Canal 21 LapworthLocks Tunnel M45 River Stoke Locks Canal 21 Shrewley included Worcestershire Canal at Leeds 30 6 Locks Hatton LakesLocks Union Grand Canals 6 Astwood Locks DroitwichStourport-on-Severn Tardebigge Locks Canal10 LapworthStockton Tunnel Corporate partnership Severn River 6 StokeWarwick Locks 21 Locks 30 TardebiggeBraunston LocksCanalLocks Hatton Locks Union Stockton two mile of channel clearing Canals 6 Astwood Locks Droitwich 10 secured with Wolverhampton Birmingham Stratford upon SevernAvon 6 Stoke LocksWarwick Braunston21 Locks Green Flag award for River Napton Locks 9 Canal and vegetation management Birmingham Dunhampstead Stratford uponCanals Avon 10Wanderers Football Club Canal 6 Astwood Locks Napton Locks 9 Riverside Park on the River Caerdydd Cardiff Tunnel DunhampsteadSevern Canal Braunston 6 Tunnel M40 Caerdydd Birmingham Offerton Locks Wilmcote Locks 11 6 Oxford M40 Wilmcote Locks 11 Stratford uponOxford Avon Master planning of Severn in Worcester Offerton Locks Napton Locks 9 Cardiff Canal Dunhampstead Canal LONDON Stratford-upon-Avon n Stratford-upon-Avon n Canal historic Ellesmere yard as Worcester Worcester Diglisvo Basin Tunnel vo Caerdydd A M40 A 6 r Wilmcote Locks Oxford Grade II listed Coffin Bridge er Offertonive Locks 11 a visitor destination Riv R Banbury Canal LONDON Stratford-upon-Avon n on the Worcestershire & Worcester Diglis Basin vo A er Birmingham Canal repaired Riv Banbury Stoke-on-Trent and £150,000 secured from Worcestershire County Council Staffordshire Active Travel Fund for towpath New steps installed at Molls improvements in Kidderminster Bridge on the Staffordshire Completion of the Unlocking & Worcestershire Canal in of the River Severn once in a Wolverhampton, and at Leek lifetime conservation and river Tunnel on the Caldon Canal management project, bringing major benefits to wildlife

4 Canal & River Trust West Midlands Annual Report 2020/21 5 Our strategic projects Our strategic projects Our strategic projects

During the Games, hundreds of Birmingham 2022 new volunteers will complement the official Games volunteers by Tappin Commonwealth Games welcoming and signposting visitors The spotlight remains on our along our waterways. Tappin’ In is an ambitious large- region as we prepare for the Alongside the physical works, we scale community project, Commonwealth Games in have been firmly embedded in the aiming to tackle loneliness and Birmingham next year. With eight of Organising Committee’s Physical isolation by enabling people to the 13 Games venues either on or Activity & Wellbeing work stream. learn tap dancing, share stories close to our canal network, we are We are working with a range of and explore their creativity. championing the canal network as partners to deliver a varied canal an alternative active transport route based programme, including between venues, helping the city sporting, heritage and cultural deliver a greener games. events, and we are looking at ways We are expecting tens of thousands to leave a legacy of engagement. of extra visitors to our canals, and as part of our preparations, we are Cultural works Tappin’ In is an ambitious large- spending £6million on infrastructure Toll House roof and door scale community project, aiming The Birmingham 2022 Organising works to improve our local network. have been renovated to tackle loneliness and isolation Committee is commissioning We are repairing towpaths, by enabling people to learn tap two new projects exploring the improving access points, installing dancing, share stories and explore natural heritage and green spaces wayfinding signs and dealing with their creativity. Tappin’ In will of Birmingham and the West challenging issues such as litter, culminate with a mass co-created Midlands. These commissions graffiti and fly tipping. tap-story performance in June will be presented as part of the 2022, and a film about the project Gallery37 North has Our works programme, now in Commonwealth Games Cultural will premiere at a special red- its second year, will run right up Festival. They are supported by carpet screening. commissioned artists to the Games and beyond. This the Canal & River Trust, Wildlife to deliver public art work is helping to raise our profile Trust for Birmingham and the Gallery37 North has commissioned and bring volunteers from local Black Country and the National artists to deliver public art projects and engage communities to help us prepare. Trust through access to spaces, projects and engage with local with local communities colleague, volunteers and communities in North Birmingham marketing support. in 2021. A three-year arts in North Birmingham in residency programme will follow, Ahead of the Cultural Festival, aiming to upskill young people 2021. A three-year arts we’ve been working with in Birmingham. As part of this residency programme local artists to plan and pilot programme, we are working with performances along our canals. Gallery37 North to commission will follow, aiming to ME Dance has been working on a female artists to respond to the upskill young people contemporary dance performance female experience of walking local We are expecting tens of thousands which explores the history of canals. The ‘Wander Water’ arts in Birmingham. of extra visitors to our canals, and the Black Country. The Pit Brow trail will run along the Tame Valley Women and the Idle Women are by the new , as part of our preparations, we are among the stories to be explored. New access ramp installed along the and will provide opportunities to . spending £6million on infrastructure change perceptions and promote works to improve our local network. health and wellbeing.

6 Canal & River Trust West Midlands Annual Report 2020/21 7 Our strategic projects Our strategic projects

Coventry five and a half Community Roots Working with Coventry City of The Coventry Canal between the We’ve been working with our community groups Moorings Culture 2021 Coventry Basin and Hawkesbury Community Roots partners to The Coventry Mercia Lions Club Junction stretches for five and engage the local community Over the last 12 months, we’ve has adopted a long section of the a half miles. It was designated a with their canal. This national We’ve created some extra continued to work with the City of canal, and plans to mobilise other conservation area in 2012 and project, funded by players of visitor moorings in Coventry Culture Trust team and partners, to volunteers from the community to is becoming an increasingly People’s Postcode Lottery, aims to Basin and created a visitor ensure the canal network features help clean up and improve it. popular green destination, linking encourage people to visit and help mooring booking system. heavily in the City of Culture’s a densely populated urban look after their local canals. Crisis UK has adopted a small Green Futures programme, and We’ve been working with the area to a more rural areas. garden in the canal basin, which encourage people to spend time We’ve set up a Community Roots it plans to turn into a community Coventry Big Clean group on their local canal. In preparation for City of Culture Coventry Facebook group, which garden, maintained by the and World Against Single Use events, we’ve been working to now has over 800 members and Although the pandemic delayed vulnerable adults they work with. Plastic (WASUP), to help tackle improve the stretch for visitors, has helped recruit volunteers for the start of the City of Culture environmental issues, including with towpath and access our two towpath task force groups. 2021 until May, towpath waste and rubbish. improvements, new welcome They’ve been painting railings, improvement works, event planning and wayfinding signage and repairing towpath holes, litter and community engagement a new guide to help promote picking and installing new signage. work continued. The programme the canal to local people, as a includes events delivered by walking and cycling route. the City of Culture 2021, the Canal & River Trust, or through a collaboration of the two. We Towpath improvements are collaborating with a wide We’ve been resurfacing the range of partners, including: Coventry Canal towpath from • Imagineer’s ‘Flow & Bridge 4 (Priestley’s Bridge) Bridge2Bamboo’ public at Stoney Stanton Road to art project; Hawkesbury Junction. This builds on previous improvements Ludic Rooms ‘Random String’ • from Coventry Basin to Bridge creative activities using 4, and completes the full technology to help people five and half mile stretch. Community Roots is now working explore and play with water; with the Coventry City of Culture The £1.4m project was developed Team and other Canal & River • Highly Sprung’s ‘CastAway’ in partnership with Coventry Trust colleagues to run a series aerial dance performance; and City Council, with the bulk of events bringing people to the • Studio Morison’s ‘Small Bells of the funding coming from waterside. From activities like Ring’ sculptural the West Midlands Combined angling, paddlesports and cycling, housing a floating library of Authority. It’s one of a series of to events like floating markets, short stories, and a retreat for public realm projects ensuring that festivals, cultural performances writers and readers. the City of Culture is “place ready”. and heritage days. Visit from our patron • Key access points at Judd’s We are preparing to open a new In May 2021 we were delighted to welcome Lane and New Inn Bridge, have Welcome Station in the basin, run our patron his Royal Highness, The Prince of been improved. These connect by volunteers recruited through , to the Coventry Canal as part of a visit the canal to the Arena and Community Roots, and we are showcasing how Coventry is coming together railway station. working towards achieving Green for the UK City of Culture Celebrations. Flag status for this stretch of the Coventry Canal.

8 Canal & River Trust West Midlands Annual Report 2020/21 9 Awards, Events & Celebrations Awards, Events & Celebrations Awards, Events & Celebrations

Green Flag awards Award for Bedford Street Virtual winter works Positive Change cycle A four and a half mile stretch of Let’s events open day rides in Wolverhampton the Birmingham Main Line Canal Last autumn, we were able to We held our first virtual winter Working with No Limits to Health, was awarded a Keep Britain Tidy’s resume some of our popular Let’s works open day, offering a peek a cycling organisation with a Green Flag award last October. events on the canal in Stoke-on- behind the scenes at one of our focus on inclusion, we’ve started Revolution Walk starts at the Trent and Walsall. In Stoke, with lock gate replacements. Six short a monthly canal cycle ride event Roundhouse Birmingham and the support of trained volunteer films were made about repairs from Molinex Stadium. Participants finishes at Chance’s Glassworks coaches, we held Let’s Paddle to Lock 49 at Knowle on the are from the ‘Men for Positive in Smethwick. The stretch has a canoe trail events, and at Walsall we in Solihull. Change’ scheme, who are at risk of, variety of unique heritage sites, held a series of Let’s Fish sessions They featured a range of experts or involved in gang culture. We’ve and can be used as a green route with qualified angling coaches. from the Trust, including heritage also set up a similar project for in and out of the city. To celebrate, We hosted Let’s Sketch and Let’s advisers, ecologists and engineers, young people, mainly refugees and our Grade I Listed , Make activities at Our Space in and a volunteer lock keeper, all recent migrants to the area, which once the highest single span Middleport, and Let’s Walk events in explaining how we care for and includes an element of bike repair bridge in the world, and Smethwick Walsall, led by Canal Sewa Group. maintain our canals. and maintenance. Pumping Station, were lit up green for one night. With six of the 45 Geopark sites in A Green Flag award was also given Bridge rebuild all or part Trust ownership, and the to Riverside Park on the River majority of the other sites within a The West Midlands Design & Severn in Worcester, where we’ve stone’s throw of our canals, we are Development Team were Highly worked with the City of Worcester proud to have been a partner in Family Fun at Fradley Commended in the heritage Council to improve the area. the bid. We are now working with section of the Institution of the four Geopark local authorities, Over October Half Term, we hosted a free family Pumpkin Trail at Fradley Civil Engineers West Midlands Natural England and the Wildlife Junction, and the week before Christmas we held a free Festive Trail. Both Region 2020 Merit awards, Trust for Birmingham and the events, which explored Fradley Pool Nature Reserve alongside the Trent & for the rebuilding of Bedford Black Country, to help realise the Mersey Canal, attracted over 1,000 local people. Street Bridge 37 on the Caldon potential of the canals as a way to Canal in Etruria. As part of the explore the Geopark. refurbishment, which was part funded by Stoke City Council, the bridge’s cast iron parapet panels were replaced. These were recast Second National Nature A four and a half mile stretch of at the last remaining foundry in Reserve declared for the Birmingham Main Line Canal Wolverhampton. Dudley was awarded a Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag award last October. Saltwells Local Nature Reserve, Black Country canals join which borders the and includes Brewins Cutting exclusive world club SSSI, has been elevated by Natural In July 2020, the Black Country England to National status. This was awarded UNESCO Global recognises it as one of the most Geopark status, recognising it important geological reserves as a place with internationally in Britain, and puts it alongside important geology, and for famous landscapes such as the playing a significant part in Lizard in Cornwall and Lindisfarne the industrial revolution. in Northumberland.

10 Canal & River Trust West Midlands Annual Report 2020/21 11 Canalside developments Canalside developments Canalside developments

Embracing the canal at Farmer’s Bridge Whitmore Warehouse, at the top of the Farmer’s Bridge lock flight in Birmingham city centre has been converted into apartments, facing onto Newhall Square. There’s a water feature in the square, based on the former Whitmore Basin, with interpretation setting out the context. A new building runs parallel with the canal, but is set back, creating a wider canalside path, replacing a dark enclosed set of steps. There are shops at ground level, accessible from the canalside path, improving access to the canal.

Increasing waterway engagement at Urban Moorings and brickwork repairs using lime Our plans are progressing at Urban Restoring Roundhouse putty matching the original mortar Moorings, a mixed-use canalside Birmingham from 1873. Cast iron windows have development on the Wyrley & been installed, replacing wooden Essington Canal in Wolverhampton. Awarded ‘Placemaking Project of With funding from the National windows installed in the 1990’s, We are developing residential Award-winning Port Loop the Year’ at the 2020 Midlands Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic replicating the original windows moorings, boaters’ facilities and development takes shape Business Insider Residential England, we’ve been working with of the building. The building’s a number of small business units Awards, the Port Loop masterplan the National Trust to restore this canalside elevation now has with community facilities. We look The Port Loop scheme We are working in partnership has already delivered over 100 new magnificent 19th century Grade II* large floor to ceiling windows, forward to working with the local with homes, South Loop Park and the listed building. so visitors can see the canal community, schools and groups will eventually provide and Urban Splash to deliver this YARD art house for residents and from its reception. Located on the Old Mainline to increase engagement with the exciting new neighbourhood close the local community. Over the past 1,100 new homes, Canal in Birmingham city centre, A new independent charity has canal here, and open up wellbeing to Reservoir. Circled year, the green and blue spaces Roundhouse Birmingham was been created to manage the opportunities. as well as moorings, by a kilometre loop of canal off at Port Loop have been hugely originally built for the Corporation building and to ensure it has a the Birmingham Old Main Line, valued by residents for picnics, leisure and retail space. of Birmingham’s Public Works self-sustaining future. Roundhouse and just a 15-minute walk from the exercising and even cinema nights. department to provide stables Birmingham will provide offices, a city centre, Port Loop is opening Civic Square’s Floating Front Room and stores. café bar, and a hub for waterside café barge is up and running, there up a previously unloved part of events. Canal & River Trust and are free kayak lessons and South Restoration works, which began the canal network for commuting, the National Trust will have offices Loop Park is set to host a series of in 2019, include repairing the exercise and wellbeing. there. Roundhouse Birmingham is community events this summer. circular roof with new Welsh slate, due to open in July 2021.

12 Canal & River Trust West Midlands Annual Report 2020/21 13 Investing in our waterways Investing in our waterways Investing in our waterways

Two sections of the towpath • Funding secured for 26 finger • We secured £175,000 from the £4.1million priority works improvement works fall into the Repairing the historic tail posts at towpath access points European Agriculture Farming programme, including West Midlands area. Fradley has bridge at Lock 12 on the in Wolverhampton, part of the Rural Development fund seen a mile and a half stretch of National Cycle Network route 81 Rural Tourism Infrastructure towpath resurfaced and half a Caldon Canal Programme to upgrade a further • 40 lock gates repaired • Grade II listed Coffin Bridge mile stretch has been upgraded one mile section of towpath on 10 lock ladders upgraded In July we completed repairs on the Worcestershire & • at Willington. the Llangollen Canal between to the historic tail bridge at Birmingham Canal repaired 439 defects rectified Lions Quay and St Martins, • Previous phases of the project Lock 12 on the Caldon Canal at using lime mortar and £170,000 for towpath • 1,700 metres of bank have seen three miles of towpath Hazelhurst. Our conservation improvements on the Trent & protection installed upgraded at Willington, Fradley blacksmith carried out careful Mersey Canal at Great Haywood and Rugeley. Future plans include repairs to the corroded steel Coffin Bridge • 250 metres of retaining with a further £175,000 for improving signage at key points decked bridge, which dates from walls repaired the Shropshire Union Canal at along the canal and creating around 1885, saving the wrought • 5 bridges repaired special portage access points iron arch elements. The handrail for canoeists. was replaced with a new design, • Masonry repairs at 16 locks matching the historic handrail • Canal access improvements at surrounding the lock pound. Walsall, Clopton Road Bridge New funding from Stoke City Stratford-upon-Avon. • Council’s Transforming Cities £750,000 HS2 • Access improvements on the Fund for improved surfacing, Trent & Mersey Canal lighting and wayfinding for funding secured via Three sections of towpath have walking and cycling routes to • £750,000 HS2 funding secured Trent Sow Group for been resurfaced as part of the Trentham Lakes via Trent Sow Group for towpath and signage improvements towpath and signage Transforming the Trent Valley • £150,000 investment secured from Great Haywood Junction (TTTV) enterprise project, funded via Worcestershire County improvements to Milford Bridge. This is in by a National Lottery Funded Council’s bid to the Active addition to £106,000 previously Landscape Partnership scheme. Travel Fund to improve a stretch secured for the towpath running The TTTV enterprise project is led of towpath in Kidderminster by the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, through Tixall Parish Council with 18 organisations, including a number of local councils, working together to restore the natural and Improvements for cultural heritage of the area. the Grand Union Canal in Solihull From Catherine De Barnes to Damson Parkway in Solihull, the towpath now has an all-weather surface, along with access improvements and new signage. In April 2021 we began a five- month dredging and towpath piling project between Henwood and Tyseley.

14 Canal & River Trust West Midlands Annual Report 2020/21 15 Community engagement Community engagement Community engagement

The Aston Villa WASUP Foundation In October, the Aston Villa Foundation adopted a stretch of & SEWA the in Perry Barr. Since then, colleagues from the Foundation have planted spring Two community groups have bulbs alongside the canal, and adopted a stretch of the Walsall carried out general maintenance Canal. World Against Single Use work to make it a welcoming place Plastic (WASUP) and SEWA along for the local community to visit. with members of the diverse The Foundation is planning to communities have begun regular work with us to deliver a series canal clean ups. of social action projects with young people in the community, as well as wellbeing schemes with older participants. They also plan to use the canals for colleague development and training days. Supported by players of People’s • Volunteers returned to Icknield Improving the canal Postcode Lottery, a new piece of Port to carry out maintenance in Walsall canal art has been painted on a work on our heritage boats Leo section of wall along the Walsall and Scorpio We’ve been developing good Canal. Local artistic groups Maia • We worked with young adults relationships with local authorities Creatives and We are Culla have in Wolverhampton, as part of a and organisations in Walsall. Two transformed the space, previously Skills Training UK scheme to get community groups have adopted occupied by antisocial ‘tagging’ • Lions Club adopted a stretch • Our community engagement, young adults back into work a stretch of the Walsall Canal, and graffiti, into a work of art that of the Oxford Canal between heritage and ecology teams World Against Single Use Plastic tells the stories of the different • Our volunteers at Stewponey bridges 58 and 72 have worked with Birmingham communities who live along the spent a week tidying up the Metropolitan University to (WASUP) and members of the • Black Heritage Walks Network canal. The project is part of a Staffordshire & Worcestershire provide virtual learning sessions diverse communities have begun launched the Black Pound Walk, national street art trail across Canal, as part of Keep Britain for 30 first year students regular canal clean ups. with poetry written by local poet the canals in England & Wales, Tidy’s Great British September The Walsall Towpath Taskforce and actress Natasha Brown • The artists Annatomix and encouraging people to visit their Clean. They were joined by has also continued to make a Brink have transformed our local canal. The Pickup Artists community • We worked with three difference to the canal, with a canals around Clive Passage and group, working the stretch from schools in Birmingham and series of events, including major With the support of volunteers, in Roundhouse Birmingham Stourport Basin to Wolverhampton to plant clear up at Bulls Lane Bridge September we hosted a socially Junction in Wolverhampton. canalside bulbs • We are working with the young distanced guided walk along the in October. offenders group ‘Want to canal for the Walsall Rotary Club. Last July and August, when • The Birmingham Canal • Achieve’ to provide canal based Canal clean in Walsall attended by the And working with the Rothen the waterways reopened for Navigations Society (BCNS) life skill developing activities, Mayor of Walsall, WASUP, members Group, we used a floating boating, our volunteer lock continue to make a vital including canoeing, canal walks, from the Afghan Community and the to remove overgrown reeds and keepers helped more boats contribution in helping to angling and photography. Hindu Forum. weeds from the canal in Walsall, than ever before at key sites, maintain our canals in the region to make boating easier along including the Hatton Flight of and provided boat trips to Titford this stretch. 21 locks. Pools as part of an open day

16 Canal & River Trust West Midlands Annual Report 2020/21 17 Raising our profile Raising our profile Raising our profile

Over the last year we have been busy growing • Met virtually with Jo Gideon • Continued our Family Learning • Put up over 800 new signs Birmingham local TV MP for Stoke-on-Trent, Owen programme by distributing new across our network and engagement and developing our partnerships News Patterson MP for North activity booklets to families advertised the canal outside with MPs, local authorities, local businesses Shropshire, in Walsall, Coventry and Dudley Port Station MP for East, Birmingham • Installed digital advertising and communities in the West Midlands. Marcus Jones MP for • Worked with Sandwell boards at a series of locations and MP for Council in Birmingham, and one Birmingham Northfield The Canal & River Trust’s brand and Warwickshire County in Coventry • Worked with our welcome Council to develop waterspace awareness is 65% among the total Gardeners’ World • Launched a Birmingham Canals station volunteers to improve strategies for their areas, and population, and 67% among those Postcard Competition for In July 2020, our ecologist Paul our seven welcome stations, continue to develop strategic living within 1km of one of our Valentine’s Day, asking children Wilkinson and volunteers from the with standardised signage and relationships with Walsall waterways. to design a postcard expressing Wild in Birmingham project on BBC leaflets, support documents and Metropolitan Borough Council, their love for their local canal 2’s Gardener’s World. Paul talked training resources for Shropshire County Council, about the Wild in Birmingham new volunteers Stoke City Council and the • Started work on a new UNESCO Countryfile project which is bringing more In March 2021, BBC Midlands Association of Black Country World Heritage Site learning Today and ITV Central broadcasted • Worked with North In April our heritage expert Kate wild flowers to the waterways in Authorities portal, offering a virtual tour of reports announcing the start Warwickshire Borough Council Langley and volunteers Ralph urban areas, benefiting nature the 11-mile Llangollen Canal of a £1.6 million programme of and Warwickshire County • Launched a new virtual learning Gaskin, David Hopkin and Graham and people. statutory improvement works Council to promote visits to the programme for schools in the • Created new leaflets for the Tranter were interviewed by Tom to our reservoirs at Earlswood. Coventry Canal at Atherstone West Midlands, including a Coventry UK City of Culture Heap on the Grand Union Canal at Charles Hughes was interviewed and , with new Water Safety Workshop and 2021, Revolution Walk in Hatton for a BBC One Countryfile Great Canal Journeys by ITV Central at Earlswood, leaflets and wayfinding signs activity packs Birmingham, Harecastle Tunnel programme focusing on canals. Last autumn, filming took place talking about our new project to and the Grand Union Canal along the Caldon and Staffordshire track water quality in the canals in Warwick & Worcestershire canals for latest and reservoirs of our region. Aaron ‘Great Canal Journeys’, Atwal, Gemma Hessey, Charles starting Giles Brandreth and Hughes were interviewed about Sheila Hancock. the environmental problems we are facing with fly tipping on our waterways.

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18 Canal & River Trust West Midlands Annual Report 2020/21 19 Issues Issues Issues

Blue green algae Pollution incidents Saturday Bridge Repairs Testing our emergency Warm weather creates the perfect Last summer, several hundred litres Problems with the retaining wall response protecting conditions for blue green algae to of resin leaked from a tank at an and footpath at Saturday Bridge on users and communities thrive at many of our reservoirs, industrial site next to the Wyrley the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, and along some lengths of canal. & Essington Canal in . were first detected in January In March we ran an Emergency Exercise on the Tame Valley Last summer there were algae Some of the resin entered the 2019. This busy city centre bridge The Trust has received After heavy rainfall, a landslip Canal to test the effectiveness • • blooms at Calf Heath, Earlswood, canal through connected drains. carries four lanes of traffic on the £600,000 from Severn Trent at Woodseaves Cutting on the of our operational response Fens Pools, Gailey, , The company involved has now B4135. Cracks had appeared within for a four-year project to tackle Shropshire Union Canal blocked and escalation procedures. Napton, Solihull and Lapworth. taken on the Yellowfish initiative, the canalside elevation retaining invasive species on our network the towpath and navigation During the live exercise, based Our environmental scientists painting a yellow fish next to the wall and footpath above. including Japanese Knotweed carefully manage these incidents, drains on their site which are around a potential embankment • Following some incidents with In February 2019, ballast tonne and Floating Pennywort monitoring oxygen levels as the connected the canal, so they can breach in a heavily populated people falling into the water, we bags were installed to provide algae dies off, and taking steps to take action to prevent pollution area, members of our command, • A hole opened up on the installed a safety buoy in Walsall a temporary buttress, while protect fish. entering the canal. operations, customer service Montgomery Canal at Pool town centre to remind people investigation works were carried and communications teams were Quay, causing the canal to to stay safe when visiting the We also dealt with significant out to determine the best longer- tested on their response. breach and drain to a low level canal basin oil spillages on the Tame Valley, term repair options. From May Ridgacre and Titford canals. There to July 2020, a 10-year lifespan The participants were unaware • Last July, our local team • A burst water pipe at Ashton was a dye pollution incident on the repair project was undertaken, that this was a test and the constructed a temporary brace Locks led to the collapse of a Tame Valley Canal, a food waste enhancing the ballast support with evaluation provided us with some for a snapped beam on Lock 26 metre brick wall onto our pollution problem on the Grand interlocking blocks and backfilling essential feedback and actions, 11 on the Coventry Canal at towpath and a Union Canal in Tyseley, and a brick with cement. Time can now be including system knowledge and Atherstone, allowing the lock to boundary wall collapsed onto crushing spoil entered the canal at taken to work with Birmingham customer service handling. It reopen just 25 hours after the our towpath close to Five Ways Acocks Green. City Council to plan a major repair also led to the upgrading of kits emergency call out Station on the Worcestershire and equipment for each of our & Birmingham Canal programme for the bridge. • We are working with Shropshire waterway operatives, to ensure Fire & Rescue to find ways to • During the summer months, that they have key items at hand minimise contamination for duckweed can become a tipping is a major issue with our We are also working with local when they need them. fire water problem for boats and wildlife canals regularly used as a dumping stakeholders and residents to try Fly tipping & anti-social Managing water resources – some along our waterways. Last ground for household waste, to resolve issues with anti-social • We’ve been investigating a leak of our waterways are sensitive to summer we removed weed behaviour furniture and kitchen appliances. behaviour, including hot spots at on the Caldon Canal in Stoke-on- periods of low rainfall, for example from a section of the Wyrley Earlswood Lakes, Hazlehurst Bridge Trent at Ivy House Embankment. The combination of fine spring We are working closely with local Ellesmere on the Llangollen Canal & Essington Canal between and Bitnell Reservoir. A section of the canal was weather and the first lockdown councils at fly tipping hotspots in and the South Oxford Canal. Coopers Bridge and Rushall drained for surveys and to carry significantly increased the number Coventry, Walsall, Wolverhampton At Earlswood Lakes in Solihull, During these times, we put in place out temporary repairs. of visitors to our canals and and Sandwell, looking at ways Stratford-on-Avon District navigation restrictions to conserve reservoirs. We welcomed the to tackle these shared issues Council, working in partnership water. Storms and flooding are increase in awareness of our canals in partnership. Coventry with statutory partners, including an increasing problem on our as places to go for nature, space, City Council has appointed a , the Police waterways. For example in January, exercise and wellbeing, as many dedicated member of their Street and Crime Commissioner and local Storm Christoph led to flooding people have discovered their local Enforcement Team to deal with fly councils, has implemented a Public on a number of our waterways, canal for the first time. But sadly, tipping on the Coventry Canal five Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). including the River Dee and River some of our sites became hotspots and a half. And we are now involved in a new Severn. During these events, our for anti-social behaviour, and fly multi-agency partnership formed teams work round the to to look at solutions for key public manage the water flows in concerns in Earlswood. our network.

20 Canal & River Trust West Midlands Annual Report 2020/21 21 Wildlife habitat improvements Partners and supporters Wildlife habitat improvements

Improving habitats and Clearing a channel on the access at Titford Pools Montgomery Canal Working in partnership with: Working in partnership with the Thanks to funding from the European Regional Development Welsh Government’s Sustainable Fund, Highways England and Management Scheme – Supporting Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Natura 2000 Restoration, a series wild flowers, signage and Council, we’ve started the next of improvements to wildlife habitats interpretation. The project phase of work to improve water along the Montgomery Canal have is being undertaken with the quality, habitats and public access been undertaken. support of local residents at Titford Pools. The six-week £245,000 project from East Big Local, During this phase of the £3 million along the two mile unnavigable a programme funded by the project, which has already seen stretch of canal from Brynderwen National Lottery. 30,000 tonnes of silt removed Lock to Freestone Lock and • Last July we discovered our from the pools, we’ve been working further north at the Guilsfield Welcome Station at Fradley with Sandwell Council to manage Arm, included weed removal, spot Junction was home to a large the overgrown vegetation around dredging and tree works. maternity roost of Soprano the pools. Dense bushes and scrub Clearing the channel allows Pipistrelle bats, with over 300 have been removed to allow more light to penetrate and creates bats counted in one evening. light onto the woodland floor, and clearer, more oxygenated water. encourage more plants and wildlife. • Last June, after a colleague This helps improve conditions spotted a female glow worm Managing the vegetation has also for plants, fish, insects and small in a bush alongside the improved the paths through the mammals. Amongst the species Worcestershire & Birmingham site, helping to make the pools to benefit in this designated Canal, we put out a call asking more accessible, open and visible Special Area of Conservation, will for other sightings and asking for local people. We’re continuing be the rare aquatic plant Floating people not to disturb them. to improve wildlife habitats at the Water Plantain (Luronium natans), Canals, with habitats rich in site and the final stage will see a which has a stronghold along the snails and invertebrate life, further 250 native trees planted Montgomery Canal. With support from: and green corridors free from and a new community orchard of Whilst on site, we also carried pesticides, provide a good around 100 different fruit trees out repairs to culverts along the habitat for glow worms. on land cared for by Sandwell Guilsfield Arm and refurbished Metropolitan Borough Council. • We’ve been working with Natural European Union, a weed boat to help volunteers European Regional England and Barnt Green Sailing Development Fund stay on top of the vegetation Club to improve water quality within the channel. at Bittell Reservoir, a Site of • As part of the Black Country Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Blue Network 2 project, we Two years after creating a pond are delivering biodiversity and to act as a reserve for water access improvements on the and aquatic species during Old Mainline Canal between our reservoir drawdowns, the north portal of Coseley biodiversity has significantly Tunnel and Anchor Lane Bridge. improved here. Similar mitigation The work, includes removing measures are planned at rubbish, managing existing our Fens Pools and Belvide trees, planting fruit trees and Reservoirs, also a SSSI’s.

22 Canal & River Trust West Midlands Annual Report 2020/21 23 Contact us 0303 040 4040 [email protected] @CRTWestMidlands canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/west-midlands

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