The Aim

To connect the Lancaster Canal with the national inland waterway network via the Rivers Ribble & Douglas and the Rufford arm of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

The Link opened to navigation on 12th July during the Ribble Link Celebration Cruise 2002 and Construction Completion Ceremony.

The Official Opening Ceremony took place on 20th September 2002 after a commissioning period from July 17th following on from the Ribble Link Celebration Cruise 2002 and Construction Completion Ceremony.

Commemorative Plaques

The Ribble Link Trust has released a set of four brass plaques to mark the completion of the Millennium Ribble Link. These represent the four waterways which form part of the Link:

1. The Rufford Branch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal
2. Preston's Albert Edward Dock
3. The Millennium Ribble Link
4. The Lancaster Canal

The plaques are available directly from the Trust either as a set of four @ £20 + p&p or mounted, as shown above, on a mahogany coloured stand @ £38 + p&p.

They can be also be obtained from:

• Preston's Riversway Marina - Tel: 1772 733595
• British Waterways office at Galgate - Tel: 01524 751888
• Ruth Symonds - IWA

The Team

The Millennium Ribble Link has been constructed in a partnership between The Waterways Trust, Lancashire County Council, The Ribble Link Trust and British Waterways.

Construction was funded by a range of public, private and voluntary organisations:
Alty - Association of Cruising Enthusiasts - Babtie Group - BNFL - Bridgewater Boat Club - British Waterways - Cleanaway plc - Clive Hurt - English Partnerships - Grampian Pharmaceuticals - Halifax plc - Inland Waterways Association - J A Jackson Contractors Ltd - James Mayor & Co Boatyard - Lancashire County Council - Lancaster Canal Boat Club - Lancaster Canal Trust - Lancaster City Council - LWS Lancashire Environmental Fund - Millennium Commission - North Cheshire Cruising Club - Preston Borough Council - Preston Marina - Prizemove - William Pye - Ribble Link Trust - Ribble Cruising Club - Single Regeneration Budget - South Ribble Borough Council - Virgin North West - Waterways Trust - Wheelton Boat Club - Wyre Borough Council

British Waterways was responsible for the construction and will operate the Link although a contractor, M J Gleeson, was be employed to carry out the construction work. Gleeson, with British Waterways and designer Ove Arup & Partners were responsible for the design, resolution of any outstanding planning issues and completion of the construction.

On 17th July 2002 British Waterways took over management the Link and are responsible for its operation. Access to the Link from the River Ribble is tidal and this will govern its operating times. All boats will be assisted through the Link so bookings will have to be made in advance.

A guidance booklet has been published advising boaters on the operational and safety requirements.

The relevant British Waterways office is in Galgate, Tel: 01524 751888

British Waterways have announced in their Craft Licence, updated Feb 2003, that all charges for the Ribble Link as well as those for structures such as the Anderton Boat Lift, the Falkirk Wheel, the Dee Locks and the the Standedge Tunnel no longer apply as the cost will now be absorbed into the licence fee.

A new web site for the project has been launched at http://www.millenniumribblelink.co.uk

The site currently includes progress reports for the project and will be developed to hold details about how to book passage on the Link, skipper notes, tide times and other information about the Link as well as links to other web sites.

Small changes to existing text are highlighted as red text and then changed to orange after about a week, then to normal text after about another week as here.

These pages are sponsored by

The Pet Shop Boys Specialists

Sun 9th Nov: News page updated.

Sat 29th Mar: This page and News page updated.
Fri 7th Feb 2003: This page and News page updated.
Sun 22nd Dec: Anniversary Cruise details updated.
Tue 3rd Dec: Anniversary Cruise details added to Events page.
Wed 27th Nov: Commemorative plaques added to this page.
Thu 14th Nov: News and Annual General Meeting Pages updated.
Sun 22nd Sep: Events page updated with report of the Official Opening Ceremony. News Page updated.
Sun 21st Jul: Events page updated with report of the Celebration Cruise 2002.
Sun 14th Jul : Photographs page updated with photographs taken Thu - Sun.
Thu 11th Jul: News page has been updated.
Wed 10th Jul: The Latest Photographs pages 1, 2 & 4 and Before and During Construction pages 1 to 5 have been updated.
Thu 20th Jun: All the Latest Photographs pages and all the Before and During Construction pages have been updated. News page updated.
Tue 11th Jun: I have updated all the Latest Photographs pages, Before and During 2, and also this page, the Events and News pages.
Fri 31st May: I have updated Latest Photos pages 1, 2 & 4 with more images, taken today, by Cliff Fazackerley.
Tue 28th May: I have now updated Latest Photos pages 1, 2, 3 & 4 with eleven more images taken on Friday 24th, by Cliff Fazackerley, together with another update to the news page.
Sun 19th May: As promised I have now updated Latest Photos page 4 with more images of the three-rise and upper basin together with an update to the news page.
Tue 14th May: Latest Photos pages 1, 2, 3 & 4 and Before and During Construction pages 2, 3, 4 & 5 updated.
Mon 13th May: Latest Photos pages 1, 2 & 3 and Before and During Construction pages 2 & 4 updated.
Mon 6th May: Latest Photos pages 1 & 2 and Before and During Construction page 3 updated.
Wed 24th Apr: Diagram of Lock 1 updated to show gate rising upstream rather than downstream.
Wed 17th Apr: New photos added to all the Latest Photos pages and Before and During Construction pages 2, 4 & 5
Sun 14th Apr: New photos added to Latest Photos pages 2 and 3.
Thu 4th Apr: News and Links pages updated. New photos added to all Latest Photos pages and all Before and During Construction pages.
Mon 1st Apr: New photos added to Latest Photos pages 2 and 4.
Fri 22nd Mar: News page updated.
Thu 21st Mar: New photos added to all the Latest Photos pages.
Mon 11th Mar: New photos added to Latest Photos pages 1 and 4.
Fri 8th Mar: New photos added to Latest Photos page 2 and Before and During Construction Photos page 3.
Sun 3rd Mar : New photos added to Latest Photos 1 & 2 pages and Before and During Construction Photos pages 3 & 5.
Mon 18th Feb: Photo of excavation at Lancaster Canal junction added to Before & During 5 and Latest Photos 4.
Wed 27th Feb: Three photos of farm bridge added to Latest Photos 2 page and one of the upper basin to Latest Photos 4 page.
Mon 18th Feb: Photo of excavation at Lancaster Canal junction added to Before & During 5 and Latest Photos 4.
Wed 13th Feb: Opening date and booking info added to this page.
Tue 12th Feb: WebRing panel added, News page, Latest Photographs page 2 updated.
Thu/Fri 7/8th Feb: News page, Latest Photographs pages 1, 2 & 4 and Before & During pages 1, 2, 3 & 5 updated.
Sat 2nd Feb: Latest Photographs page 1 updated with two views near lock 1 at the very high tide on Friday 1st Feb.
Sat 26th Jan: All Latest Photographs pages, Before and During 1 & 4 pages and the Links page updated.
Fri 25th Jan: Photographs: Latest Photographs page 1 updated.
Sat 12th Jan: News, Photographs: Latest Photographs page 4 updated.
Mon 7th Jan: A third virtual flight added - this time up the route during construction.
Sat 5th Jan 2002: A second virtual flight added - this time up the route. News, Photos pages updated.
Sun 23rd Dec: News updates before 24th September moved to News File. Latest Photographs pages 1, 2 & 4 updated. Before and During 1 & 5 updated.
Sun 9th Dec: News, Photographs: Latest Photographs page 1 updated, lock 5 sub-page added and Before & During Construction page 1 updated.
Sat 17th Nov: News, Events, Photographs: Before and During and Latest Photographs pages updated.
Sat 10th Nov: Photographs page: The railway bridge to the Lancaster Canal, Latest Photographs sub-pages: Farm access bridge to Lea Road and The railway bridge to the Lancaster Canal and News page updated.
Wed 31st Oct: Photographs pages and Latest Photographs sub-pages covering Ribble to Lea Road updated.
Wed 24th Oct: Photographs pages updated, Latest Photographs sub-pages updated, News page updated, articles from the three latest editions of Ripples added.
Sat 6th Oct: Photographs pages updated, News page updated
Mon 24th Sep: Photographs page updated, News page updated
Wed 12th Sep: Photographs pages updated, News page updated and Latest Photographs sub-pages updated.
Sat 8th Sep: Photographs page updated to include links to Latest Photographs pages. Before and During Construction page 5 updated and Latest Photographs sub-page 4 updated.
Thu 30th Aug: Photographs pages updated, News page updated and Latest Photographs sub-pages updated.
Sun 29th Jul: Photographs pages updated, News page updated and Latest Photographs sub-pages split into four sections and updated.
Tue 17th Jul: Photographs pages updated, News page updated and Latest Photographs sub-page updated.
Thu 28th Jun: Photographs pages updated, News page updated and Latest Photographs sub-page updated.
Sat 16th Jun: LCC logo added to this page, Photographs pages updated, News page updated and a Latest Photographs sub-page added.
Tue 12th Jun: News, Photos pages updated.
Tue 5th Jun: Photos pages updated.
Wed 29th May: News, Photos pages updated.
Sun 20th May: News, Photos pages updated.
Thu 10th May: News, Photos pages updated.
Sun 6th May: News page updated.
Thu 19th Apr: New photos added to

• Lea Road to the Railway Bridge
• The Railway Bridge to the Lancaster Canal

• Farm access bridge to Lea Road
• Lea Road to the Railway Bridge
• The Railway Bridge to the Lancaster Canal.