Ryders Green Lock Flight

Please note that Ryders Green Lock Flight will be open from 10:00am until 1:00pm on Thursday 6 August, after which it will close to navigation due to low water levels.

From Friday 14 August, the flight will only be open for pre-booked passages on Fridays between 10:00am and 1:00pm, with the last passage permitted at 12:00. At all other times, the flight will remain closed to navigation.

To book a passage, please contact our Customer Service Team on 0303 040 4040 or email enquiries.westmidlands@canalrivertrust.org.uk during normal office hours. Please note that passages should be booked for essential boat movements only.

These measures are necessary to help manage limited water resources and will remain in place until further notice.

We appreciate your patience and understanding. Further updates will be provided as the situation develops.

Unfortunately, due to insufficient water levels, the Ryders Green Lock Flight is currently closed to navigation.

Following a significant loss of water from the flight, water levels have fallen to a point where navigation can no longer be supported safely.

Our teams will continue to monitor the situation closely and will review conditions again on Wednesday.

Following the temporary closure yesterday due to low water levels, water levels at Ryders Green Lock Flight have now recovered sufficiently to allow navigation to resume under restricted operating hours.

• From Friday 31 July 2026, the lock flight will be open between 10:00 and 13:00, with the last passage permitted at 12:00.

To help us monitor water levels and manage the flight effectively, we would appreciate boaters contacting us if they are passing and encounter any issues during their journey on 0303 040 4040.

Please ensure all lock gates and paddles are secured correctly after use to help conserve water and support continued navigation.

We will continue to monitor the situation closely and thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Unfortunately, navigation at Ryders Green Lock Flight has been temporarily closed due to low water levels.

To help replenish the water supply, an overnight feed is being put in place and efforts are underway to refill the flight. However, at this stage it is unlikely that navigation will be able to resume tomorrow morning.

The situation will be reviewed and a further update will be provided tomorrow (Friday 31 July 2026.)

Please be advised that Ryders Green Lock Flight remains open and continues to operate under the restricted opening hours introduced on 20 July 2026.

Operating Hours

• Open: 10:00
• Last passage: 13:00
• Closed: 14:00

Boaters are encouraged to check the latest navigation noticesbefore travelling, as operating arrangements may change at short notice in response to water resource conditions.

To help conserve water across the network, please:

• Share locks wherever possible.
• Ensure all paddles are fully lowered after use.
• Check that lock gates are properly closed.

Further guidance can be found in the Thrift Code, which outlines simple actions boaters can take to reduce water usage and help protect the network.

We appreciate the patience and cooperation of all boaters during this challenging period.

Due to ongoing water resource challenges, restrictions are being introduced at Brades, Spon Lane, Smethwick and Ryders Green Lock Flights from Monday 20 July 2026.

These restrictions have been introduced to help conserve water supplies and maintain navigation during a period of reduced water availability. The restrictions have been agreed following ongoing reviews by our operational and water management teams and are intended to reduce water demand while preserving navigation opportunities across the Birmingham Canal Navigations.

The following operating times will apply:

Brades Lock Flight • Open: 09:00 • Last passage: 13:00 • Close: 14:00

Spon Lane Lock Flight • Open: 08:00 • Last passage: 12:00 • Close: 13:00

Smethwick Lock Flight • Open: 08:30 • Last passage: 12:30 • Close: 13:30

Ryders Green Lock Flight • Open: 10:00 • Last passage: 13:00 • Close: 14:00

Last passage through each lock flight will be one hour before the published closure time to allow boats sufficient time to clear the flight safely before locks are secured.

The situation is being reviewed regularly. Should water resources not improve by 27 July 2026, these lock flights may be closed to navigation until further notice.

We appreciate the patience and cooperation of all boaters as we work to conserve water resources and maintain navigation. Boaters can help by sharing locks where possible, ensuring paddles are fully lowered after use and checking that gates are properly closed.