‘Support’ for Conservators in battle over major River Cam lock repairs in Cambridge

The city councils have agreed to support the Conservators of the River CAM because the organization is fighting to finance urgent repairs to two aging locks where there is a risk.

However, the work council immediately rejected calls from the Greens to write to the Foreign Minister for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in which the challenges were emphasized.

Urgent repairs are required for Jesus Lock. Image: Keith Heppell

The conservators are the statutory navigation authority for the RiverCam between Bottisham Lock, Waterbeach, to the mill pond in Cambridge.

It is necessary to maintain the river section so that it remains “in good navigable condition”.

Last month, the Cambridge Independent emphasized how the conservators had published an update “Organization in Crises” in which the problems with which the financing, which are confronted for the maintenance of two aging locks along the cam, are faced with the risk of collapse.

The navigation authority has an estimated invoice of 1.5 million pounds for essential work to stabilize bait bite lock island near Milton. And it has warned that without urgent financial support, it cannot do any work for Jesus Lock Island in central -Cambridge. The locks remain closed and influence the navigation on the river.

City Councilor Elliot Tong (Grün, Abbey) said: “The RiverCam currently has an existential crisis. Without an urgent action, both Jesus Lock Island and Kader Bite Lock Island will fail.

“This could significantly reduce the water level and expose the residents to the annual dirt for centuries, which has dropped to the bottom of the river after throwing it.”

On July 24, he presented an application for the full advice in which he writes to the Foreign Minister and now declared the need for financing for the repairs.

Bait bite lock. Image: Keith Heppell

His application also proposed that the responsibility for monitoring the CAM river should be transferred to a future uniform authority that covers the Cambridge after the planned restructuring of the local government.

But CLLR Martin Smart (Labor, King’s Hedges) was changed, whereby these points were removed.

Instead, it recognized the questions of “structural deterioration” and committed to the city council to continue working with the conservators in order to “support the development and application of a sustainable business plan to maintain the locks.

The changed application also asked the Council to “help the financing and review of the collection of Jesus Lock’s structural state”.

The change application from CLLR Smart illuminated that this was an “urgent local problem”, “also reflected a broader national challenge in the administration of the aging of navigation infrastructure”.

He also suggested that the city council should work together with the Conservators of the Cam and other stakeholders river in order to develop a “common and precious case for reforms and future investments in the wealth”, and that the authority should also “work with the national government if necessary”.

The change was agreed by a majority of the council members and the amended application was passed.

In their update, the conservators described that their income flows are limited as “relatively small” organization and mainly come from fees that are calculated for the annual registration of ships on the water. However, it does not receive public financing.

The conservators said: “Most of [the organisation’s] Assets and infrastructures are aging and require increasingly expensive maintenance and repairs, whereby the replacement goes beyond the financial capacity of the organization.

“In 2024, survey reports on Kader- und Jesus -Lock -Lock -Lock -Lock (Cambridge and Central Cambridge) were commissioned, and the conclusion that was drawn by the survey was that the structures and the urgent temporary work were necessary for the first time to prevent a breakdown and that a complete structural rebuilding would be necessary.

“If the castle islands fail, the result would be significant to reduce the water level of the river, which makes navigation access, especially through the bait closure.

“This would affect the city, local companies, the residents, ecology and more.

“The conservators have commissioned temporary stabilization work to start with one of the locks to keep navigation open.

The explanation continued: “The current business plan for the conservatory acknowledges that the investigation of other sources of income is necessary. The urgency that is now necessary to remedy the organization’s financial susceptibility has replaced this plan.

“The lack of adequate funds was highlighted as a threat to the organization in which he recognizes that the castle islands are not the only aspects of the organization that require considerable financial resources to maintain their company capacity, and meet the mandate of laws and the relevant health and security responsibility.”

The Conservators of the River CAM have interpreted some of the steps that they consider, but a national review of the infrastructure and their financing is necessary to “enable difficulties with waterways and navigation to take care of this invaluable asset”.

It also added that it may have to be included in another organization or “could simply become unprofitable and not functional”.

Additional reporting: Hannah Brown, local democracy reporter