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Droitwich Canals - Droitwich Barge Canal - Droitwich Junction Canal

The Droitwich Canal is a synthesis of two canals in Worcestershire, England; the Droitwich Barge Canal and the Droitwich Junction Canal.

The Droitwich Barge Canal opened officially on 11th September 2010 the rest of this canal is due to open fully soon but currently un navigable the Droitwich Canals course covers just 7.25 miles between the River Severn at Hawford (Lock) and Hanbury Wharf (Junction) on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal. - NOW FULLY OPEN

The Droitwich canals are probably unique in England that they were originally built to service a single industry; the salt industry. Droitwich has been an important centre for the production of salt, obtained from natural brine springs, since before Roman times. The 'wich' in Droitwich is an ancient reference to salt. The canal was built by James Brindley and opened in 1717 to take salt from Droitwich to Bristol via the River Severn.

The canal was abandoned in 1939 by Act of Parliament.

The Droitwich Canals’ Restoration

The Droitwich Canals’ Restoration Partnership was established in 2000 between British Waterways, Droitwich Canals Trust (established in 1972), The Waterways Trust, Wychavon District Council and Worcestershire County Council in order to further the restoration project creating a linear canal park and establishing a 21 mile cruising ring.

Both the Junction and Barge Canals are set to be fully restored with funding secured from Advantage West Midlands, Heritage Lottery Fund, Wychavon District Council, Worcestershire County Council and Inland Waterways Association. Additional funding has come from the Welcome to our futures, Awards for all and the Dulverton Trust.

Information on the audio trail is available online at www.waterscape.com/droitwich

From the Worcester and Birmingham Canal the Droitwich Canal navigates under Westfields Bridge through Locks 1 to 3 where it meets the restored section under the new bridge to rugby club, 4-5 new double lock, 4-5 Old locks (2) and 6 new lock, a new footbridge, the M5 motorway bridge, Bromsgrove Road bridge (B4065), 6 lock, 7 new lock and weir.

Junction with the River Salwarpe (canalised River Salwarpe)

Junction with Barge Canal at Barge Lock (the old extent of navigation), Netherwich Basin, Netherwich Bridge and Railway bridge, Netherwich Bridge (River) and railway, Salwarpe Road bridge, Siding Lane bridge and Chewson Basin, Ombersley Way bridge, Roman Way bridge (A38), the old site of Salwarpe Swing Bridge, Salwarpe bridge, Portars Mill bridge II (River) and the other old limit of navigation Ladywood Lock (1).

Ladywood bridge to Portars Mill Locks (4), Portars Mill bridge, Mildenham Lock, Mildenham bridge, passing Hawford Mill House, A449 bridge and numbers 7 and 8 Locks (2) and the junction with the River Severn.

During the project Within 5 years of completion

4 new locks & 500m of channel built

New Tunnel under the A449

Dredging of approx 5 miles of canal

Establishment of an offline reed bed

Creation of 21mile (33.5km) cruising ring

31 Heritage structures conserved

2,500 volunteer days

12 new or improved access points

8 school weeks

604 people received training

11 Interpretation/Community Art Projects

744 person yrs construction employment

46 visitor moorings

£2.75m additional visitor spend

196 FTE jobs

322,000 additional visitor days plus

12,000 p.a. cycling visits

2,000 p.a. canoe visits

3,500 angling visits

£3,088,800 uplift values for adjacent housing

£144,000 annual health benefits

20% increase on W&BC & River Severn

3,300 new boat movements

87 permanent moorings

24 ha of brown field land regenerated

10 to 15 new businesses established