The Environment Agency’s navigation programme has invested £5.2 million into East Anglian waterways over the 2025/26 year, delivering a variety of refurbishment projects.
The works have taken place in the area from Ditchford in Northamptonshire to Denver in Norfolk and include improvements to public safety, lock resilience and works to the surrounding habitat.
A series of improvements have been completed at Bedford Lock on the River Great Ouse, with the downstream gates replaced together with the upstream landing stage and stabilisation works to the lock chamber wall.
A final stage of the project is planned for later in the year to improve the downstream landing stage.
Green energy switchovers
At Titchmarsh Lock on the River Nene, solar panels have been installed to provide renewable energy to operate the guillotine gate.
The project is the first in a planned series of green energy switchovers the Environment Agency is planning in the coming years.
At Brampton on the River Great Ouse and Wansford on the River Nene, major improvements to the locks are now complete.
At Brampton, the works included improvements within the lock chamber and enhancing the surrounding pathways.
At both Brampton and Wansford, mechanical improvements have been made to the guillotine gate.
The Environment Agency has also carried out gate improvements at Upware and St Ives.
