Canal to come under new management

Rochdale Canal

Rochdale Canal will come under new management when a new organisation is formed to maintain the 32-mile waterway and find more money to improve the attraction of the canal to tourists.

British Waterways is currently responsible for maintaining the canal but it is hoped that a review of the Rochdale Canal Trust will create a more representative body involving Calderdale, Rochdale, Oldham and Manchester city Councils.

Each Council currently pumps in thousands of pounds a year for the maintenance of the canal, with three serious leaks in recent years costing more than £1million each to fix, while there are plans to spend £1.2million replacing and strengthening lock gates over the next five years.

The canal was built in 1799 and has 92 locks.