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Update on the Rochdale Canal breach (03/01/06), by JustCanals

The Rochdale Canal is still closed after a major breach occured between locks 63 and 64 in the early hours on Saturday 23rd April 2005 when an embankment just before a small aqueduct carrying the Rochdale canal over the River Irk gave way and water from the canal flowed into the river.

At the time a spokesperson for British Waterways said "It is expected that the Rochdale Canal in this area will be closed up to a couple of months" However the Rochdale Canal & the towpath are still closed and the latest that we have heard is that the repair work will begin in January (06) and that this section of canal is expected to be re-opened by May 2006.

From our information sources we have heard that the repairs are expected to cost around £1.3 million and will involve reconstructing and reinforcing the embankment.

It is expecteded that the repairs will be completed in time for the majority of the 2006 boating season.

A spokesperson from Shire Cruises, a family company, told us "We're very pleased that work is about to start on repairs to the breach at the River Irk aqueduct. The £1.3m cost will be met by British Waterways, which shows its great commitment to the Rochdale Canal as BW does not own the Rochdale, and the funding arrangements for its maintenance are quite different from those on BW-owned canals. This additional spending on major repairs follows others which BW has paid for, greatly to the benefit of waterway users. The great majority of our customers have been unaffected by this stoppage, but we are delighted that our customers will again be able to do the South Pennine Ring, and make one-way trips via Rochdale, from June."

This page will be updated when we find out more information.

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