A Proud Heritage
The Bridgewater Canal is sometimes described as Englandโs first canal.
The Bridgewater canal itself does not have any locks as James Brindley wanted to ensure that no water was wasted but the 200-yard-long Pomona branch which used to link it to the Manchester Ship canal did have one lock, Pomona lock, a double width lock. This branch was built to replace the Hulme Locks branch that was built to link the Mersey and Irwell Navigation and the Bridgewater Canal.
The Bridgewater Canal is a 39-mile (65km) canal stretching from Runcorn to Leigh in North West England. Constructed over 250 years ago by the Duke of Bridgewater, it is considered to be the first true canal in England. Built at one level, its route followed the contours of the land to avoid the use of locks.ย
The canal was constructed to transport the Duke of Bridgewaterโs coal from his mine at Worsley in Greater Manchester efficiently and cheaply to the rapidly expanding towns and cities nearby. At its peak, over 3 million tonnes of traffic used the Bridgewater Canal. Nowadays, it is a leisure waterway popular with many cruising boaters.ย
The canal is also a strategic link between the North and South canal network and features one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways, the well-known โBarton Swing Aqueductโ which passes over the Manchester Ship Canal, close to the nearby Trafford Centre.
The Bridgewater Canal is owned and operated by The Bridgewater Canal Company Limited, part of Peel L&P, in conjunction with the Bridgewater Canal Trust.
The Bridgewater Canal Company Limited is a statutory body responsible for navigation and maintenance of the Bridgewater Canal.
About Peel L&P
Operating across the UK for over 50 years, the family run, Peel Group and its regeneration arm Peel L&P have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to re-imagine some of the countryโs historic assets.
We created MediaCity to bring the BBC to the North, started a trailblazing project to give homeless people their own front door at Manchesterโs Embassy Village, and are helping to decarbonise industry and generate low carbon energy at Protos and through our Peel NRE business. ย
Working with local partners, our nationwide Peel Waters schemes like Liverpool Waters and Wirral Waters are regenerating waterfront destinations into mixed-use sustainable communities, and our innovative homebuilder Northstone is building new energy-efficient family homes in suburban areas.
As part of The Peel Group, Peel L&P strives to make a positive impact on peopleโs lives and are proud of our legacy. Promoting sustainable development is at the heart of what we do, and we take our responsibilities to the environment seriously. Our people are passionate about the communities we work in, and we value our close partnerships with local groups and charities.
By building homes and creating opportunities, including highly skilled jobs of the future, protecting and improving our open spaces, addressing the climate emergency and our energy needs, Peel L&P will continue to realise possibility and invest in communities for years to come.ย
The Bridgewater Canal Trust
The trust meets twice a year and formulates the long and short-term policies for the amenity use of the Bridgewater Canal. All income generated by the Bridgewater Canal from pleasure craft, fishing, drainage and sales of water for cooling purposes etc is used to maintain and improve the canal and its local environment.
Flora & Fauna
The Bridgewater Canal is surrounded by a beautiful environment rich with flora and fauna. Some of the species of birds you will find along the towpath include the grey heron, the song thrush, reed bunting and kingfishers. White throats and mute swans have also been seen along the canal.ย
A number of butterfly species have also been spotted including the orange tip butterfly and the painted lady butterfly.ย
Plants you will find along the route include the autumn crocus which flowers in September, the red campion and hedge bindweed. To maintain the environment, we do ask that you take your litter home and if you are a dog walker, please clean up after your pet.ย
Volunteering
There are a number of volunteer groups who help to keep the Bridgewater Canal towpath litter free. If you are interested in becoming a member of a volunteer group, please contact us here for further details.ย ย
One of the most active groups on the Bridgewater Canal operating in the Sale area is the Friends of Bridgewater Canal (Sale).
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Our approach to sustainabilityย
At Peel L&P, we aim to be a trusted partner of choice. We work with stakeholders to deliver a more prosperous and climate resilient future for all, in line with the principles of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We have prioritised five of the 17 SDGs that are most relevant to our business activities and recognise that none could be achieved without working in partnership with our stakeholders.
Peel L&P strives to make a positive impact on peopleโs lives, and weโre proud of our legacy. Promoting sustainable development is at the heart of what we do, and our people are passionate about the communities we work in and the close partnerships we have with local groups and charities.
Weโre focused on action, not pledges, and are committed to helping people and places realise their true potential. Weโre innovating, creating and implementing ideas at scale. Smart built environments, low carbon energy solutions, functional green public realm and the promotion of sustainable travel options are just some of the areas in which we are delivering real transformation.
Our approach to sustainability is reported every year against our targets and key achievements, with transparency about updates to our targets as a result of changes to our operating environment, for example, the Covid-19 pandemic accelerating the transition to a low carbon economy.
The Peel L&P Sustainability and ESG board is accountable for the delivery of the Sustainability and ESG Policy across the business. Our sustainability policies and procedures are regularly reviewed to adapt to business needs and arm our employees with the wealth of knowledge to effectively meet our sustainability goals.
