Canal & River Trust launches boater consultation and updates restoration delivery plan

The Canal & River Trust (CRT) will begin a 14‑week boater consultation in December 2026, co‑creating the process with boaters and national boating organisations. A pre‑engagement phase from August will involve a newly formed Citizens’ Boater Panel, workshops, and outreach to local groups to shape topics such as safety, navigation requirements and space sharing on the canal network.

In parallel, the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) helped secure improvements to CRT’s revised Restoration Delivery Plan, published on 28 July 2026. The plan sets out how the Trust will work with restoration promoters across England and Wales, positioning waterway restoration as a core charitable objective and establishing new technical groups, a Restoration Panel and a Waterway Recovery Group. IWA Chair George Rogers praised the updated plan as a significant step toward higher standards and more professional restoration projects.