Basingstoke Canal – Navigation Update – Diesel Spill Woking Town Centre
Basingstoke Canal – Navigation Update – Diesel Spill Woking Town Centre
| Date Of Update: | 23 September 2025 |
| Title Of Update: | Pollution incident Woking town centre |
| Type Of Update: | |
| Area(s) Affected: | Woking Chobham Road Bridge downstream to Brookhouse Common |
| Summary of Update: | The fuel spill has been reported on 19 Sept. has now largely dispersed |
| Effect on Powered Boats: | Navigation re-opened. |
| Effect on Towpath Users: | Walkers and cyclists – we are still recommending that dogs do not swim in this part of the canal. Please seek veterinary advice if a dog has been in the canal and becomes unwell. Anglers – fishery remains closed in this area (see below). |
| Effect on Unpowered Boats(e.g canoes/kayaks/paddleboards: | Navigation re-opened; take additional personal safety precautions (see below) |
| Full Update: | The fuel spill that was identified as polluting the Canal in the Woking town centre area has now largely been absorbed by our cleaning pads or has dispersed. The booms across the canal have now been removed. There may however be some small areas of pollution caught in the reeds at the sides of the waterway. For this reason, we are recommending that until the signs are removed from site: You do not allow pets to swim in this area and seek veterinary advice if they have swum in the canal in this area today and then become unwell. Do no fish in this area – as in landing fish you may get oil residues on both the fish and your hands. If using a canoe, kayak or paddle board try to stay in the centre of the channel between Chobham Road and Brookhouse Common and take additional personal safety precautions – washing hands and any exposed skin as soon as you have finished your activity and before eating or drinking in all cases. The oil spill below Lock 7 is taking longer to clean up and the closure there is likely to remain in place until next week at the earliest. |
| Map Ref | Name of Lock Flight or Pound | Navigation Status |
| 1 | Woodham Locks (Locks 1 – 6) | OPEN – restricted hours Tues and Thursday only |
| 2 | Woking Pound (Locks 6 – 7) | Partial Closures -(upstream of Parley Drive Bridge) pollution incident (ongoing incident) -Chertsey Road Bridge upstream to Chobham Road Bridge navigation reopened but see advice for walkers, anglers and paddlers. |
| 3 | St Johns Locks (Locks 7 – 11) | CLOSED – pollution (ongoing incident) |
| 4 | Hermitage Pound (Locks 11 – 12) | OPEN |
| 5 | Brookwood and Deepcut Locks (Locks 12 – 28) | CLOSED – water shortage, ongoing |
| 6 | Mytchett Pound (Locks 28 – 29, Ash Lock) | OPEN |
| 7 | Ash Lock (Lock 29) | CLOSED – water shortage, ongoing |
| 8 | Hampshire Pound (Lock 29, Ash Lock – Greywell) | OPEN – Obey speed restriction signage – ongoing |
