Canal closures

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The archive / Leeds & Liverpool Canal

CLOSED - Kirkstall, Forge and Newlay Locks

A navigation closure on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, 23 July 2026 to 25 July 2026 — 2 days.

Source: this notice on canalrivertrust.org.uk

Waterway
Leeds & Liverpool Canal
Region
Yorkshire and North East
Started
23 July 2026
Status
Reopened 25 July 2026
Days shut
2
CRT reason
Information
Cause
Vandalism
Asset
Canal or river

Cause and asset are read from the notice prose, not CRT fields; the reason above is CRT's own.

What CRT said it was for

Staff have been down and checked on the water levels and have recovered back to normal levels making the navigation back open.

Where

Updates · 2

1 days with no update after the last one.

24 July 2026 · 1 days since the previous

Our local team has attended site and assessed the water levels along this section of the canal. While levels have improved since the temporary closure was put in place, they have not yet recovered sufficiently to allow navigation to reopen safely. To ensure there is enough water for boats to pass through Newlay, Forge and Kirkstall Locks safely, the navigation will remain temporarily closed. Our team will continue to monitor the situation and will carry out further checks over the weekend. As soon as water levels have recovered to a suitable level, we will update this notice and reopen the navigation for passage. We appreciate your patience and understanding while the canal continues to recover.

23 July 2026 · 0 days since the previous

Due to vandalism by local youths overnight, water levels on this section of the canal have fallen to a level where we need to temporarily suspend navigation through Newlay, Forge and Kirkstall Locks. This short-term closure will allow water levels to recover and the canal to replenish. Taking this precaution now helps protect the navigation, minimise the risk of further water loss, and ensure the canal remains safe for all users. Our local team will continue to closely monitor water levels throughout this section, and we expect this to be a temporary measure. The canal will reopen as soon as conditions have recovered sufficiently for navigation to resume safely. We will provide a further update tomorrow on the progress of the recovery and will reopen the canal at the earliest opportunity.

Cite this: Canal closures, “CLOSED - Kirkstall, Forge and Newlay Locks”, https://crt-stoppages.pages.dev/notice/019f8e5f-bad5-7fdb-9a74-47d559d3e362.

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