''Canal''s of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

; see also

Canals of the United Kingdom The canals of the United Kingdom are a major part of the network of inland waterways in the United Kingdom. They have a varied history, from use for irrigation and transport, through becoming the focus of the Industrial Revolution, to today's ...

. The following list includes some systems that are navigable rivers with sections of canal (e.g. Aire and Calder Navigation) as well as "completely" artificial canals (e.g. Rochdale Canal).

Canals in England

Canals in Northern Ireland

Canals in Scotland

Canals in Wales

Proposed canal routes

Active projects

* Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway: Connection from

Grand Union Canal The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. It is the principal navigable waterway between London and the Midlands. Starting in London, one arm runs to Leicester and another ends in Birmingham, with the latter ...

at Milton Keynes to the River Great Ouse near

Bedford Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst ...

. This link will finally enable broad-beam boats to travel from the north to the south of the inland waterway network. *

Fens Waterways Link The Fens Waterways Link is a project to improve recreational boating opportunities in the counties of Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, England. By a combination of improvements to existing waterways and the construction of new links a circular ...

: The Fens Waterways Link comprises several new waterways and improvements to current routes. It will create new circular routes and in conjunction with the Milton Keynes and Bedford Waterway, it will be connected to the rest of the country's waterways via the Great Ouse. * Maidenhead Waterways: Making the York Stream and other parts of the Maidenhead Waterways fully navigable for boats and linking to other nearby canals and navigable rivers.

Proposals

* Grand Union Canal (Slough Branch): Extending

Slough Arm The Slough Arm is a short canal branch from the Grand Union Canal, Grand Union Main Line to Slough in Berkshire (before 1974 in Buckinghamshire), England. It was originally opened to serve the brick-making industry. The last commercial traffic ...

of the

south to join the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...

. * Rother Link: Planned canal which would connect the

Chesterfield Canal The Chesterfield Canal is a narrow canal in the East Midlands of England and it is known locally as 'Cuckoo Dyke'. It was one of the last of the canals designed by James Brindley, who died while it was being constructed. It was opened in 1777 a ...

at Killamarsh, via the River Rother through to the

Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation The Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation (S&SY) is a system of navigable inland waterways (canals and canalised rivers) in South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, England. Chiefly based on the River Don, it runs for a length of and has 27 locks ...

, thus creating a new cruising ring and encouraging boats to visit the Chesterfield Canal. * Upper Avon Extension (Warwick): This proposed connection from River Avon to

via

Warwick Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined with Leamington Spa and Whi ...

is subject to some landowner opposition. * Foxton Inclined Plane: Restoration of the wide-beam Foxton Inclined Plane, accompanied by a solution to bypass Watford Locks, would allow wide-beam boats to traverse the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal.https://www.canalboat.co.uk/waterways/canal-network/far-and-wide-1-3538049

Former proposals

* Grand Contour Canal: First proposed in 1943, was intended to connect the major industrial centres of London, Bristol, Southampton, Coventry, Birmingham, Nottingham, Derby, Chester, Manchester, Blackburn, Bradford, Hartlepool and Newcastle. * London to Portsmouth canal: Also known as the Grand Southern Canal, and proposed on several occasions, this route would utilise existing canals and rivers, with new links constructed, to provide an overland route between the cities of London and Portsmouth, removing the need to enter the English Channel. * Berks & Hants Canal, a proposed link from the terminus of the

Basingstoke Canal The Basingstoke Canal is an English canal, completed in 1794, built to connect Basingstoke with the River Thames at Weybridge via the Wey Navigation. From Basingstoke, the canal passes through or near Greywell, North Warnborough, Odiham, ...

at Basingstoke to the Kennet and Avon Canal, rejected twice by Parliament after landowner opposition. * Polbrock Canal, approved by Parliament in the 1790s, this link between the north and south coasts of Cornwall would have joined the River Camel with the Fowey at Bodmin.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Canals Of The United Kingdom Canals in the United Kingdom

Canals Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow un ...

Canal Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flo ...