Bosley & Marple Flights

The Bosley and Marple lock flights remain open to navigation under the current operating restrictions, which are necessary to help manage water resources.

The lock flights will continue to operate as follows for the remainder of this week:

Bosley Flight: Open Monday, Wednesday and Sunday, from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm

Marple Flight: Open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm

From Monday 10 August, the operating hours will change as follows:

Bosley Flight: Open Monday, Wednesday and Sunday, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Marple Flight: Open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.

We kindly ask that all boats clear the lock flights by 4:00 pm, as both flights will be secured outside of the published opening hours.

Demand for navigation remains high, and our volunteers will continue to be on site at both locations to help manage boat movements.

How you can help:

Although water storage levels across the canal network are higher than they were at this time last year, we are experiencing reduced inflows and a number of challenges with feeders from the Peak District reservoirs, which we are working to resolve. This is placing additional pressure on water management and canal operations.

To make the best use of the water available, we carefully match reservoir feeds to navigation demand wherever possible. This helps reduce unnecessary water loss. However, if demand is higher than expected, or paddles are left open, we may occasionally need to pause navigation for short periods to rebalance water levels, sometimes at short notice.

If you notice water levels looking unusually low, please let us know via our contact page. Our teams actively monitor and manage water levels and can refill low pounds where appropriate, investigate potential issues, and help ensure that boats in neighbouring pounds remain safe.

We will continue to monitor canal levels and water resources closely.

A further update will be provided on or before Wednesday 19 August.

The lock flights at Bosley and Marple remain open to navigation with restrictions which is necessary to manage water.

The Bosley flight will be open to navigation on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday with operating hours: 8 am to 1 pm.

The Marple flight will be open to navigation on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with operating hours: 8 am to 1 pm.

We kindly request that all boats are able to clear the lock flights by 4 pm as both flights will be secured outside of these opening times.

Whilst demand remains high, our volunteers will be on site at both locations to help manage boat movements.

How you can help:

Although water storage levels across the canal network are higher than they were at this time last year, we are experiencing reduced inflows and a number of challenges with feeders from the peak reservoirs that we are working to resolve. This is placing additional pressure on water control and canal operations.

To make the best use of the water available in our reservoirs, we carefully match water feeds to demand wherever possible. This helps reduce unnecessary water loss. However, if demand is higher than expected, or paddles are left open, we may occasionally need to pause navigation for short periods to rebalance water levels, sometimes at short notice.

If you notice water levels looking unusually low, please let us know.](https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/contact-us). "https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/contact-us).") Our teams actively monitor and manage water levels and can carefully refill low pounds, investigate potential issues, and help ensure that moored boats in neighbouring pounds remain safe.

We will continue to monitor canal levels and water resources closely and will provide updates as soon as new information becomes available.

The lock flights at Bosley and Marple will be open to navigation with restrictions necessary to manage water from next week.   The Bosley flight will be open to navigation on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday with operating hours: 8am to 1pm   The Marple flight will be open to navigation on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday with operating hours: 8am to 1pm   Our teams will be working over the weekend continuing to refill and prepare the lock flights to allow navigation   We kindly request that all boats are able to clear the lock flights by 4pm as both flights will be secured outside of these opening times.   Whilst demand remains high our volunteers will be on site at both locations to help manage boat movements.   How you can help   Although water storage levels across the canal network are higher than they were at this time last year, we are experiencing reduced inflows and a number of challenges with feeders from the peak reservoirs that we are working to resolve. This is placing additional pressure on water control and canal operations.   To make the best use of the water available in our reservoirs, we carefully match water feeds to demand wherever possible. This helps reduce unnecessary water loss. However, if demand is higher than expected, or paddles are left open, we may occasionally need to pause navigation for short periods to rebalance water levels, sometimes at short notice.   If you notice water levels looking unusually low, please let us know. Our teams actively monitor and manage water levels and can carefully refill low pounds, investigate potential issues, and help ensure that moored boats in neighbouring pounds remain safe.   We will continue to monitor canal levels and water resources closely and will provide updates as soon as new information becomes available.   We thank our boating customers for their patience over the last week with the challenges we have experienced along the Macclesfield & Peak Forest Canal.

We are sorry to inform customers that navigation remains closed between Locks 1 and 12 of Bosley Flight on the Macclesfield Canal and Locks 1 and 16 of Marple Flight on the Peak Forest Canal due to low water levels.

The water levels are being particularly impacted by a collapsed culvert at Combs Feeder, which has reduced the amount of water feeding into the canals. Our team are currently liaising with third-party landowners for access to carry out the repairs to the culvert.

We are working to preserve water levels and avoid the canal being fully drained, including feeding as much water as we can safely get into our canals. We have been able to add a limited feed from Toddbrook Reservoir. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and are working towards reopening navigation as soon as conditions allow. Whilst we cannot at this stage identify when we will be able to do so, a further update will be provided on or before 23rd July.

Once navigation can safely resume, a booked passage system will be introduced to help manage water resources and retain as much water as possible during the summer period. Further details on how this will operate will be communicated prior to reopening via our notice.

During this notice period, boaters within this location who are affected by these restrictions will not receive overstaying notifications from our Licensing Team due to the current circumstances, until passages are open.

We appreciate the patience and understanding of our boating customers whilst we work to improve the situation.

Navigation is closed between Locks 1 and 12 of Bosley Flight on the Macclesfield Canal and Locks 1 and 16 of Marple Flight on the Peak Forest Canal due to low water.

Unfortunately, water levels have dropped again overnight due to the continued dry weather.

As a result, no assisted passages will be available until water levels improve.

A further update will be provided on or before Tuesday 21 July.

Navigation is currently restricted between Locks 1 and 12 of Bosley Flight on the Macclesfield Canal and Locks 1 and 16 of Marple Flight on the Peak Forest Canal due to low water levels following the recent dry weather.

Our team is working to replenish the canal pounds, but it may take a few days for water levels to recover.

Our volunteers will be on site today between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm to assist boaters travelling through the flights.

To help conserve water, the lock flights will operate as follows:

Marple Flight: Open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, 8:00 am–1:00 pm. All boats must be clear of the flight by 4:00 pm. Bosley Flight: Open Monday, Wednesday and Sunday, 8:00 am–1:00 pm. All boats must be clear of the flight by 4:00 pm.

Both flights will remain locked outside of these operating hours to help retain water.

A further update will be provided on Tuesday, 14 July.