Neath and Tennant Canals Trust

STATE OF THE NEATH CANAL AS NOVEMBER 2005

Navigation on the Neath Canal from Neath to Briton Ferry is severed by a low road bridge at Bridge Street, Neath and to reinstate navigation from Neath Town Centre to Briton Ferry will require a lift bridge at this location. Only weed cutting and a minimum of dredging has been carried out on this section of the canal to maintain it as a water channel only.

The section of Neath Canal between Neath Town Centre and Tonna is navigable and is the section of canal on which the Neath and Tennant Canal Trust (N&TCT) operate a trip boat during the summer for public trips.

The section of the canal between Tonna and Abergarwed became heavily polluted by a mine water discharge in 1992. Remedial measures were taken to treat the discharge and were successful, which has recently allowed this section of the canal to be dredged and cleaned up by Neath Canal Navigation Co. (NCN) under a 2.6m scheme funded by the WDA, B.P. and Objectice 1 funding. Along this section of Neath Canal at Aberdulais is located the transfer basin at the junction of the Tennant Canal.

The canal between Abergarwed and Resolven is derelict and partially filled in and there is some industrial development on the infilled section of the canal. The canal is culverted and unnavigable at Resolven by the crossing of the canal line by Commercial Road and it's embankment.

Between Resolven and Ysgwrfa, the canal was restored by YTS and Manpower Services schemes during the period 1984-1990, this section contains seven restored locks, a restored aqueduct over the canal, a new canal aqueduct and several restored access bridges and is navigable along this length. This section of the canal is used by the ENFYS Trust who operate a trip boat for the disabled, a tea room and gift shop in the restored lock keepers cottage Ty Banc. This section is also used by a number of canoe clubs and is available for public boating subject to obtaining a licence.

Ysgwrfa to Glynneath is derelict and waterless but the canal line is still intact except for a section now under the embankmant of the now redundant Glynneath Bypass Road.

The Neath Canal Acts 1791 and 1798 are still in being and protect the Neath Canal along it's length from Giants Grave to Glynneath.