Funding Cut Could Threaten Future Of Foxton Locks
Written by HFM News on 17th July 2023
There are fears the future of Foxton Locks will be threatened by a government funding cut.
The Canal and River Trust is to lose almost half its funding after 2027 – amount to more than £300m in real terms.
The charity says it will have a ‘potentially devastating impact’ on its ability to maintain the 2000-mile network of canals nationwide and special sites like Foxton Locks, one of Harborough’s most popular visitor attractions.
It is also warning some sections of canal will likely close.
The reduced funding comes at the same time as the costs of maintaining historic canals are increasing, due to the growing impact of climate change, with more periods of drought and extreme storm events taking their toll on ageing 250-year-old infrastructure.
Linny Beaumont is the Canal and River Trust’s Regional Director in the East Midlands:
Foxton Locks
A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) told HFM: “Since it was first created in 2012, we have been very clear that the Trust would have to increasingly move towards alternative sources of funding.
“To date we have awarded them £550 million funding and are supporting the Trust with a further £590 million between now and 2037 – a significant sum of money and a sign of the importance that we place on our canals.
“We have been discussing this with the charity for some time and have been offering support on how it can increase income from other sources, as per the original objective of the grant funding.”
