Waterways
Waterway Operative/Lock Keeper, Water Engineer, Hydrologist
The Sector
Britain’s 200 year old inland waterway network grew to serve the industries and factories that powered the Industrial Revolution. At its height, the network comprised of more than 5,000 miles of canals and navigable rivers. Today, nearly 3,000 miles of these historic waterways survive. British Waterways cares for 2,000 miles of inland waterways, with others managed and owned by other organisations, including the Environment Agency, which manages 600 miles of inland waterways.
Conserving, restoring and regenerating the inland network is a challenge as it is of great environmental and historic importance. The waterways feature thousands of significant structures, including simple locks and bridges and complex tunnels. Waterways also shelter many rare species including water voles, bats, birds, butterflies and plants. Increasingly, Britain’s waterways are also playing a key role in urban and rural regeneration, providing an important leisure and recreational resource.
Sector Profile
Waterways are being rediscovered as places where people want to live, work and relax. This is a period of renaissance for Britain’s inland waterways, with major restoration and regeneration projects taking place across the country. This expansion is creating important employment opportunities in environment, landscaping, engineering, construction, waterway management, water quality, natural heritage, estates and surveying, and visitor attractions. Female engineers account for approximately 20%of the profession and tend to be more highly represented in entry level posts.
Issues and Trends
Hundreds of miles of canals and structures are being restored in recognition of their social and environmental benefits. Freight is also making a modest return, with 3.5 million tonnes carried annually on waterways. As pressures of pollution and road congestion grow, the Government believes that 4% of all road freight could be carried on canals. Biodiversity and managing the delicate ecological balance of waterways are also becoming important challenges for the sector.
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