Birmingham's seven months mooring trials

Published: Wednesday, 07 June 2023

NEW mooring trials are to take place on Birmingham City Centre canals.

bcn city centreConsultation

The proposals are the result of a consultation organised by Canal & River Trust which were put out earlier this year, and it tells they have been shaped by feedback from boaters, boating and canal organisations, and boating businesses.

And it aims to give all visiting boaters, whether local or from other parts of the country, good access to facilities, shops, and restaurants in the city centre, now and in the future, and to make mooring stay times along the canals in Birmingham to make the city centre more accessible to visiting boaters and to remove any confusion over stay times at popular mooring spots.

Gas Street BasinThe proposals

The trial will start on 3rd July and finish on 31st December 2023. It includes the following changes:

• All visitor moorings in the central zone to become four days moorings from 3rd April to 31st October, reverting to 14 days from 1st November to 31st March.

Visitor moorings north-west of Sheepcote Street on the New Mainline Canal and south-west of Granville Street on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal to become 14 days all year round.

Pontoons at Cambrian Basin to all become long-term moorings, including two that are currently designated as visitor moorings.

Service moorings established immediately alongside the Canal House in Gas Street Basin and extended between the Roundhouse and Sheepcote Street.

Designated accessible mooring spaces for disabled boaters, those with access needs or limited mobility, to be clearly marked in two locations: between Cambrian House and Tindall Bridge; and south of Worcester Bar.

Information about stay times to be displayed on signs alongside all the moorings.

Tom Freeland, Boating and Customer Service Manager at Canal & River Trust, explained:

Feedback reviewed

“I would like to thank everyone who took the time to respond to our consultation. All the feedback received has been reviewed and has helped us to shape this mooring trial.

“We want as many people as possible to enjoy our canals in Birmingham, and making sure there are good quality moorings available for boaters of all backgrounds and abilities is vital. The trial, with the new stay times and clearer information, will help increase the availability of moorings in the city centre, and make it simpler for boaters to find somewhere to stop off for a few days to enjoy all Birmingham has to offer.

At the end of the trial the trust will review how many boats have visited and moored in Birmingham and what the feedback is from visiting boaters before making a decision on whether to make the trial permanent.