Thank you for contacting me about canals. Canals form an important part of the Government’s work in reintroducing biodiversity in nature. In addition to their history and industrial heritage, there are significant health and wellbeing benefits to walking along a canal. I understand that around 800 million visits are made to our canals every year, which demonstrates their importance in the UK. The Government is developing policies to adapt to climate change across the country and I am aware that navigation authorities are exploring ways to adapt the network, such as through installing electric charging points in rivers and canals, which have helped encourage boaters to switch to electric vessels.
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