Early August saw a flotilla of boats gathered at Baits Bite Lock on the River Cam to raise awareness of the pressing challenges facing Britain’s inland waterways, as part of the major Fund Britain’s Waterways (FBW) campaign for 2025.
Organised in partnership with the Great Ouse Boating Association, the event saw 15 narrowboats and cruisers, proudly flying FBW banners, joined by a steam launch, rowing boat, and kayak. Cambridge city and county councillors, local businesses, and representatives from various organisations came together to support the campaign and call for urgent investment in the country’s canals and navigable rivers.
Baits Bite Lock, one of only two locks on the River Cam, has been closed since May 2024 due to structural and safety concerns. The lock’s closure highlights broader issues facing the waterways, including an ageing and failing fleet of work vessels that hampers routine maintenance operations.
The Conservators of the River Cam have already liquidated investments to fund essential stabilisation work, which was scheduled to begin on Monday (4 August 2025). However, without external funding, stabilising nearby Jesus Green Lock remains impossible. The risk of structural failure poses a significant threat to river users, local wildlife, and the economy.
The event is part of the wider FBW campaign, which aims to raise public and governmental awareness about the vulnerability of the UK’s inland waterways network. The campaign’s cruise series began in Doncaster on 29 March, followed by a 26-boat flotilla on the Thames in London on 7 May. On 25 June, different flotillas took various northern routes to meet for a record-breaking mass crossing of The Wash from Boston to Wisbech. Two of the original boats from those flotillas also took part in the recent River Cam cruise.
Charlotte Cane, MP for Ely and East Cambridgeshire, expressed strong support for the campaign: “It’s great to see the FBW campaign for the maintenance of inland waterways active in Ely and East Cambridgeshire. Our waterways support wildlife, provide vital drinking and agricultural water, and offer people space to stay active and connect with nature. As I said in my maiden speech, our chalk streams and water corridors are precious — and maintaining them is essential for our health, environment, and future.
“It was a pleasure to join FBW on their campaign cruise this weekend. Being part of the flotilla offered a wonderful opportunity to take in the stunning scenery of Ely and East Cambridgeshire’s inland waterways. Now more than ever, it’s vital that we protect and preserve these important natural spaces.”
Paula Syred, British Marine Inland committee member and director of Fox Narrowboats, emphasised the wider economic and environmental impact: “Vibrant rivers and canals are not just for boaters, they provide valuable wildlife habitat and are vital to prevent homes and businesses from flooding. British Marine research shows tourist visitors on boats spend around £94.50 per person per night. Since Baits Bite Lock was closed in May 2024, our hirers from all over the UK and abroad have taken alternative routes, missing the City of Cambridge and spending their money elsewhere on the rivers.
“This is not just a local problem. The inland waterways across the UK have been chronically underfunded for years, leading to our navigation authorities fighting a constant battle just to keep the network open, with no spare funds to make a true improvement and leave our rivers and canals in a fit state for the next generation. This is why we at Fox Narrowboats support the Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign. We now sit at a crucial junction where the government can choose to properly fund our wonderful network and give it an ongoing future, or be responsible for its further decline.”
The Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign continues to push for increased government funding and support, aiming to secure the future of the UK’s inland waterways.
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