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Basingstoke Canal – Updated COVID 19 Guidance

Basingstoke Canal – Updated COVID 19 Guidance

The following guidance has been issued by the Basingstoke Canal Authority.

Please find attached the latest revision of our Boater’s Guidance (click Boaters Guidance to view document) – this interprets the latest Government guidance for preventing the spread of Covid 19 and puts it in a Basingstoke Canal context.  Please ensure you have read the guidance before you go boating.  If you have any questions please contact the Canal Centre office on 01252 370073 or info@basingstoke-canal.co.uk.

The Canal Centre office is now open 7 days per week, 09:00 – 17:00 and the Canal Visitor Centre is open Wednesday to Sunday 10:30 – 16:45 . If you do come to the Visitor Centre you will find that we have provided extra safety measures such as a one-way queuing system, hand sanitising stations and screens at the counter. All boating facilities at the Canal Centre including pump-out are now operating again. Our rowing boat hire business has also reopened – please book in advance by contacting the Canal Visitor Centre.

If you are going boating in a powered canal boat please be aware that there are lots of new unpowered boaters (canoes, kayaks and stand up paddle boards) using the water at the moment. A lot of these new boaters will not be used to larger canal craft, so please be extra careful around unpowered craft at the present time.

All of our staff and volunteers are now increasing the number of licence checking patrols, so please be prepared to show your licence. All funds from licensing help support the operation and maintenance of the Canal. The following licences are valid for our waters:

  • Powered boats – BCA annual or visitor licences per boat (this does not cover you for other craft such as canoes)
  • Powered trail boats – BCA registration and day licence per boat only (Wey / CRT / EA licences are not valid)
  • Rowing boats, skiffs and punts – BCA unpowered boat licence per boat
  • Canoes, kayaks and stand-up paddle boards – BCA unpowered boat licence or British Canoeing annual membership (please show your card or an email showing you have valid membership) per boat

Navigation news:

Chobham Road Bridge – Woking Borough Council’s contractors remain on site completing the works to the new footbridge. Please be prepared to stop and obey any instructions given by the workforce to ensure your safety.

Lock 26 – the upper off-side ground paddle is blocked meaning a very slow fill. There will be a temporary stoppage on Wednesday 22 July to try and resolve this.

Lock 28 – there is lots of debris in the chamber and the lower gates won’t open fully into their recesses. This may be an issue for wide beam craft. Please talk to the duty ranger or lock keeper if you have a problem.

Zebon Copse swing bridge – our Ranger team have shaved some concrete off the abutment and jet-washed out the bearings. The bridge is still a big heavy structure, but this should resolve the issues with it periodically getting stuck.

Angling – is managed by the Basingstoke Canal Angling Association. The angling season resumed on 16 June. Please can anglers be reminded that they should only fish from the towpath side and are not permitted to fish within 20m of a lock or bridge, or from any of the wharf areas. Angling is not permitted from any boat. Day and annual tickets can be purchased from the Canal Centre and “Tackle Up” in Fleet – BCAA bailiffs will be checking you are licensed so please be prepared to show your membership or day ticket.