Navigation – Works Delivered.

We appreciate that expectations have increased as we are now charging licence fees for navigation. We hope navigators appreciate that there are significant costs associated with running the navigational aspects of the Middle Level system, including:

• the maintenance and refurbishment requirements of the six locks
• the employment of staff focused on navigation, including lock keepers
• channel management, e.g. weed and reed cutting
• administering the service

Licensing income is unlikely to cover these costs, but is a valuable contribution towards them.

In addition, we know users want to see improvements to the system, as do we. It’ll take time, energy and continued investment to evolve the Middle Level navigation to meet these enhanced expectations.

Our initial commitment, with the passing of the Middle Level Act (2018), was to spend at last 25% of annual gross income on provision of facilities on the link route between Stanground and Salters Lode locks, until the IWA recommendations for facilities provision has been achieved. From 2020/21 onwards, over and above our day-to-day maintenance of the navigation, we have undertaken the following improvement works:

• Mooring improvements on the High Lode in Ramsey (working with the Town Council & developer)
• Salter’s Lode Lock mooring refurbishment
• Ashline Lock downstream mooring refurbishment
• Marmont Priory Lcok mooring refurbishment
• Installation of nine new rural moorings

Rural Moorings are for 24 hours only and where mooring is allowed without seeking prior permission. They each consist of 5 mooring posts approximately 32m in length located at the toe of watercourse. These moorings have signs adjacent to them, and consist of driven timber posts and mown bankside vegetation. They are designed to be simple and no other provision or facilities provided. You may choose to stay overnight or simply stop here for a short break before carrying on.