Anderton Boat Lift

An image of the Anderton Boat Lift a mechanical structure designed to provide a 50-foot vertical link between two navigable waterways: the River Weaver and the Trent and Mersey Canal as seen from ground level. A canal boat filled with passengers makes its way along the Mersey Canal.

Direct Access are the access consultants for The Anderton Boat Lift, a two-caisson lift lock near the village of Anderton, Cheshire.

The lift provides a 50-foot (15.2 m) vertical link between two navigable waterways: the River Weaver and the Trent and Mersey Canal. The structure is designated as a scheduled monument, and is included in the National Heritage List for England.

The Access Audit provided by our team included assessment and appraisals of the current site, proposals for new capital works, and proposals for interpretive design.

The Access Plan has considered influence and shape accessibility police at the Anderton Boat Lift.

Direct Access’ involvement extended into providing guidance on the accessibility of proposed future activities and events hosted at the Boat Life, and has also included staff and volunteer training in relation to user needs, access, and inclusion.

All accessibility solutions provided by our access auditing team (many of whom are disabled people themselves) offered their expertise on potential changes to the design, management and use of the Lift’s built environments and associated spaces.

The site of the Boat Life includes a two-storey visitor centre and exhibition building with a coffee shop, as well as informational films about the history of the lift. Direct Access provided accessibility audits in these areas, with considerations for every facet of accessibility, including potential neurodiverse experiences of the site. 

Rather than simply focus on legal compliance, Direct Access adopted the approach (as with all of our clients) of identifying unique ways that organisers can ensure inclusion on site. For the boat lift, the visitor experience was paramount – so our principle auditor took a boat trip to ensure accessibility of the entire visitor journey when visiting.

The Boat Lift is one of only two working boat lifts in the United Kingdom; the other is the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland.

An image of the Anderton Boat Lift, a mechanical structure designed to provide a 50-foot vertical link between two navigable waterways: the River Weaver and the Trent and Mersey Canal.

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United Kingdom

Pepper House,
Market Street,
Nantwich,
Cheshire,
CW5 5DQ.		Old Town Hall,
30 Tweedy Rd,
Bromley,
BR1 3FE.                   

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77 Camden Street Lower,
Dublin,
D02 XE80.

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