Montgomery Canal restoration takes step forward

Plans for two new bridges and nature reserves along the Montgomery Canal were unveiled at a well-attended forum held at Newtown's Hafan yr Afon centre.

The Canal & River Trust projects for Powys, funded by the Government's Levelling-up grant, include two new bridges near Llanymynech and two important new canalside nature reserves. With planning permission recently granted, work on the first bridge at Carreghofa Lane will start in May, replacing a blockage created in the 1970s. A second planning consent permits construction of a new nature reserve at Wern Pond, near Bank Lock at Pool Quay north of Welshpool.

Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust Chairman Michael Limbrey said: "We were delighted when the Government included a Levelling-Up grant for the Montgomery Canal in its budget in October 2021. 

"This investment in the canal can bring social, economic and environmental benefits to the borderland. Preparation and design work is nearly finished and in coming months we will see two new nature reserves to safeguard the canal's valued plants and wildlife and two new bridges to make dredging and maintenance easier, help the flow of water along the canal, and make things better for anyone using the canal or the towpath."

The forum also heard from David Struckett of the Inland Waterways Association's Sustainable Boating Group, who discussed eco-friendly propulsion options including Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, which he described as "90% carbon neutral" and "cleaner burning than mineral diesel."

On the same day as the Forum, guests from Shropshire Council and the Canal & River Trust marked completion of the volunteers' latest project at Crickheath near Oswestry, where Shropshire Union Canal Society volunteers worked 6,500 hours over the last year to restore a section of canal channel.

"I am pleased to say we have recently had some significant gifts to the appeal," added Mr Limbrey. "However we have not yet reached our target of £250,000 so of course we will welcome more donations to https://localgiving.org/appeal/MontgomeryCanal."