Montgomery Canal Conservation Management Strategy (1.2MB PDF)

F) A transparent and impartial system will be established for making decisions on management of navigation issues.
6.4.3 Moorings
G) Planning for mooring provision needs to match expected levels of traffic, and previous plans for mooring locations
need to be updated.
Visiting boats (private and hire boats not based on the Montgomery) will only need 48 hour visitor moorings and service
facilities which will be created at key locations. However, local permanent moorings on the Montgomery will be an important
part of the economic benefits of the restoration. For this reason, and to ensure no one section of the canal is over loaded with
boat movements to and from a single large mooring site, there will be a presumption against large marinas.
H) Small scale mooring schemes, potentially as part of farm diversification, will be encouraged. Locations will need to address a
number of practical issues such as suitable road access, and numbers will be informed by the boat traffic model.
Moorings are currently full on the adjacent Llangollen Canal. Additional moorings could be actively sought on the
Llangollen Canal in order to relieve potential demand on the Montgomery Canal. Alternatively premium rates would be
charged for Montgomery moorings. Looking wider, national British Waterways’ policies to promote less frequently used
sections of the inland waterways system will also assist in the long term management of demand.
6.4.4 Balancing Demand with Access
Unrestricted access would exceed both the available water supply and ecological capacity. Priorities between different
types of user will therefore need to be agreed and management systems implemented to achieve this.
I) A balance will need to be achieved between visiting boats from the Llangollen, and boats moored permanently on the
Montgomery Canal. A method of managing the step change between England (up to 5,000 boats) and Wales (up to
2,500) will also be needed.
This balance will remain the subject of review, but initial plans are based on controlling access through Frankton locks and
at Vyrnwy Aqueduct. Additional capacity will be directed to moorings on the Montgomery, and the development of local
businesses, within the agreed target levels of boat movements. This is essential to generate the sustainable development
that is a key feature of the restoration.
6.4.5 Eco-Boating
J) In order to foster and promote increased levels of navigation within the agreed framework, British Waterways and the
Montgomery Canal Partnership will promote modified boat navigation behaviour and excellence in environmentally friendly
design.
This will draw on existing initiatives nationally and elsewhere on the inland waterways network. It will include research, field
trials, management and commercial investment in such aspects as boat speed, hull design and propulsion, channel design
and seasonal patterns of boat movement.
6.4.6 Channel design
K) Restored sections will comply with current BW national policies on channel dimensions, retain original channel profiles
where they still exist and maintain some nature conservation value in-channel.
Restored channels must meet minimum navigational requirements. However, beyond this we must retain heritage and
nature conservation features where it is practical to do so. It is likely that these requirements will complement each other
rather than conflict. For instance the sloping channel margins are good for offside emergent or aquatic habitats, and the
desire to deepen channels as far as possible to minimise suspension of solids that could blanket aquatic plants will create
optimum clear draught conditions for navigation.
79