The case for investment in the Aire & Calder Navigation

Client: Canal and River Trust

Date: 2014-2016
To set out the case for increasing the freight usage of the Aire & Calder Navigation (A&CN) with the minimum of capital investment, covering a series of steps that would also minimise the financial risk. 

The question

What improvements to the A&CN could be justified to increase freight traffic while minimising the financial risk to the operators of the infrastructure?

The solution

  • Reviewed infrastructure studies and carried out interviews with freight barge operators and their trade association, which suggested that in principle the A&CN could be improved to allow barges of Euro Class II to navigate from Goole on the Humber to Leeds.  
  •  Identified the infrastructure works required to improve the freight capacity of the waterway by addressing the key physical bottlenecks - mainly lock dimensions – that limit the size of freight barge able to navigate the waterway and the works required to create a general cargo wharf in Leeds.
  •  Examined the economic viability of barge transport between the Humber Estuary and Leeds and the potential market available.
  •  Identified potential sites for an inland port in the Leeds area that would be able to offer added value facilities such as distribution sheds and handling equipment.
  • Summarised the opportunity, with a phased approach suggested for the required infrastructure developments in order to minimise risk.

The impact

The report allowed the Canal and River Trust to collaborate with other key stakeholders around a shared vision for the future of the A&CN which would allow larger freight barges to navigate between the inland port of Goole and Leeds.