Gloucester Docks dredging update

The Canal & River Trust’s dredging programme at Gloucester Docks has been ongoing for over six weeks as work continues to make the improvements required to
maintain suitable navigable depths for boats at the docks.

Good progress is continuing to be made with depths of over three metres having been achieved in the West Quay area.

A significant focus of the dredging is on the canal to the south of Llanthony Bridge. The team are currently working towards High Orchard Bridge and we aim to get to Monk Meadow Marina before Christmas.

As previously planned, a new dredger was brought in on 12 November equipped with more advanced GPS positioning and depth monitoring equipment to boost efficiency with the dredging.

The new dredger is connected to a second pontoon which will avoid the need to have cables across the canal and will reduce downtime when cables previously had to be loosened to allow boaters to pass by the dredger.

Some initial teething issues for the contractors were finally resolved after a lot of hard work on Wednesday 15 November and we look forward to seeing good progress being made in coming weeks.

An interim depth survey is scheduled for the end of November to assess continued progress with the dredging.