Canal locks given facelift with £240,000
TWELVE locks along Macclesfield Canal have been given a £240,000 facelift.
The Canal and River Trust, which looks after the country’s waterways, has completed essential repairs on eight of Bosley’s 12 locks ready for the summer season.
Tasks have included replacing and relining worn-out lock gates, installing new paddles, replacing missing stonework and repairing damaged ironwork.
David Baldacchino, waterway manager with the Canal and River Trust, said: “The Macclesfield Canal is a beautiful rural waterway and is very popular with boaters from all over the country.
“The man-made canal is nearly 200 years old, so it’s a constant endeavour to keep it in good repair.
“The Trust always tries to programme maintenance work in the winter months so we can keep the waterways open for boaters during the main summer cruising season. As the first Green Flag canal in the country, we have a reputation to uphold for providing all our visitors with a great experience, so it’s important to keep the lock flight in tip top working order.”
Opened in 1831, the 26 mile Macclesfield Canal connects the Peak Forest Canal with the Trent and Mersey Canal. In 2015, it became the first canal in the country to be awarded Keep Britain Tidy’s coveted Green Flag Award - the mark of a quality green space.