Birmingham going smoke free very soon

[Tonka]

We’re launching a new Smoke Control Order on Monday, strengthening protections for your health by ensuring that domestic burning takes place using only certified fuels and burners.

The new order will also extend rules to the city’s waterways for the first time, covering moored vessels such as canal boats. We’re supporting those impacted by these changes with a 70% reimbursement offer for eligible boat owners who need to upgrade their stove to meet DEFRA standard.

Find out more: https://orlo.uk/E4hVd

[David Mack]

"From 23 March 2026, vessels moored on Birmingham’s waterways may only burn authorised fuel, unless using an appliance approved by DEFRA (also known as an ‘exempt appliance’ or ‘DEFRA approved appliance’), in line with the requirements of the new Smoke Control Order."

 

So you can burn approved smokeless fuel in any appliance, whether DEFRA approved or not. So you can't burn wood. But as you can now only buy approved smokeless fuel, this isn't going to have much impact on most boaters.

[robtheplod]

12 minutes ago, David Mack said:

"From 23 March 2026, vessels moored on Birmingham’s waterways may only burn authorised fuel, unless using an appliance approved by DEFRA (also known as an ‘exempt appliance’ or ‘DEFRA approved appliance’), in line with the requirements of the new Smoke Control Order."

 

So you can burn approved smokeless fuel in any appliance, whether DEFRA approved or not. So you can't burn wood. But as you can now only buy approved smokeless fuel, this isn't going to have much impact on most boaters.

When we first start our fire using any 'smokeless' fuel you can see smoke from kindling etc from the chimney, which clears eventually.... it mentions 'no visible smoke from chimneys', so is smokeless fuel still ok for this short time?  We use kindling to light the fire which is wood, so is banned???

Edited March 19 by robtheplod

[Adam]

15 minutes of smoke for lighting fuel, I assume that will apply when you add new unliten fuel to a already burning fire.

 

In reality if you just don't answer the hatch, I cant imagine there is a lot they can do without you being forward with your details to accept their fine.

 

[nicknorman]

It only applies to moored boats. So before lighting or refuelling, simply set off on a trip round the loop. Simples.

 

Or even simpler, just untie and drift around a bit.

Edited March 19 by nicknorman

[jonathanA]

this the council that is bankrupt and has had a refuse collection strike going on for well over a year ?

 

you would assume they had bigger issues to address...

[robtheplod]

50 minutes ago, jonathanA said:

this the council that is bankrupt and has had a refuse collection strike going on for well over a year ?

 

you would assume they had bigger issues to address...

maybe we can pickup some stuff to burn, win win?   

[agg221]

Two questions.

 

1. In the consultation document:

 

Smoke Control Order 2025 - Birmingham City Council - Citizen Space

 

is the statement:

 

To mitigate the effect on the boating community the following are proposed.

• To engage further with those affected and to provide education on the Smoke Control Order
• To defer any enforcement of the Smoke Control Order rules against the occupiers of narrowboats until such time as a Moored Vessels Enforcement Policy is in place. This will be developed in conjunction with the affected parties and representative bodies to ensure the Policy which is implemented is proportionate and equitable.

Any sign of whether this has been done or ignored?

 

Secondly, I can't find a sensible map which defines the boundaries of the area covered. It looks like it goes out towards Curdworth on the Birmingham & Fazeley, south of Kings' Norton on the Worcester & Birmingham, must go somewhere along the GU and the Stratford, takes in a bit of the Tame Valley and some of the main line but surprisingly little, but without definitive boundaries it's a bit hard to tell.

 

Alec

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, agg221 said:

Secondly, I can't find a sensible map which defines the boundaries of the area covered. It looks like it goes out towards Curdworth on the Birmingham & Fazeley, south of Kings' Norton on the Worcester & Birmingham, must go somewhere along the GU and the Stratford, takes in a bit of the Tame Valley and some of the main line but surprisingly little, but without definitive boundaries it's a bit hard to tell.

It will be the City of Birmingham's administrative area.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/f4LT8HqL6S9H86pd7

 

So roughly out to just short of Curdworth on the B&F, Olton on the GU, Solihull Lodge on the North Stratford, Wast Hill Tunnel on the W&B, west end of the Soho Loop on the BCN Main Line and Rushall Junction on the Tame Valley.

Edited March 20 by David Mack

[Tonka]

I should point out that I just saw the words that I posted on Facebook. I just cut and pasted them into here to make more boaters aware so where it states "we" it refers to Birmingham City Council and not me a humble boater

[agg221]

13 hours ago, David Mack said:

It will be the City of Birmingham's administrative area.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/f4LT8HqL6S9H86pd7

 

Thanks. Looks like you can throw logs on the unapproved stove once you moor at Curdworth, some way down the GU and North Stratford or in the middle of Wast Hill tunnel. Going west it’s the junction of the Tame Valley with the Rushall, or outside Winson Green prison on the main line.

 

Alec

[Wanderer Vagabond]

22 hours ago, David Mack said:

It will be the City of Birmingham's administrative area.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/f4LT8HqL6S9H86pd7

 

So roughly out to just short of Curdworth on the B&F, Olton on the GU, Solihull Lodge on the North Stratford, Wast Hill Tunnel on the W&B, west end of the Soho Loop on the BCN Main Line and Rushall Junction on the Tame Valley.

Yes, the map you show is about the same as contained in the order

[Mike Todd]

On 19/03/2026 at 18:57, David Mack said:

"From 23 March 2026, vessels moored on Birmingham’s waterways may only burn authorised fuel, unless using an appliance approved by DEFRA (also known as an ‘exempt appliance’ or ‘DEFRA approved appliance’), in line with the requirements of the new Smoke Control Order."

 

So you can burn approved smokeless fuel in any appliance, whether DEFRA approved or not. So you can't burn wood. But as you can now only buy approved smokeless fuel, this isn't going to have much impact on most boaters.

I thought wood was allowed provided that it meets a specified dryness level.

[alias]

50 minutes ago, Mike Todd said:

I thought wood was allowed provided that it meets a specified dryness level.

 

I think it is, outside Smoke Control Areas.  Inside them there can be other stipulations, like Defra approval of appliances..

Edited March 21 by alias

[ditchcrawler]

Didn't some post on here some years ago who was moored around the Ousels loop say the council was chasing him about smoke from his chimney following complaints from the flats.

[gatekrash]

I was going to say from previous reading of the rules that they can't enforce this unless they have signs up to advise boaters they're entering a smoke control zone. Only to find as we went past Winson Green junction yesterday that there are indeed shiny brand new signs advising you that you are entering the zone. 

 

Or rather there had been a couple of shiny brand new signs. One of them had already been ripped off and removed, only the shiny post and some bent metal left 🙄

[Rob-M]

I saw one sign in the main line but I don't think it indicated in which direction the smoke control zone was so wasn't clear if our direction of travel was entering or exiting the zone.

[john6767]

I think there is a sign a couple of hundred yards up the Cannock Extension canal, but perhaps that is a different smoke controlled area as I would not have thought that was Birmingham.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, Rob-M said:

I saw one sign in the main line but I don't think it indicated in which direction the smoke control zone was so wasn't clear if our direction of travel was entering or exiting the zone.

 

Surely, if you can read the sign you are 'entering' if you are approaching the 'back of the sign' you are exiting.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Surely, if you can read the sign you are 'entering' if you are approaching the 'back of the sign' you are exiting.

The sign will only be visible from the rear once you are in the clear air inside the smoke control area. As you approach it from the outside, you won't be able to see the face with the text on it it through the pea soup smog. 

[Victor Vectis]

Given the amount of vandalism, sorry 'street art' in central Brum it won't be long before the signs are illegible anyway.

[gatekrash]

51 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Surely, if you can read the sign you are 'entering' if you are approaching the 'back of the sign' you are exiting.

The one that's left down by Winson Green is in line with the canal so it's readable from both directions ! 

[Rob-M]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Surely, if you can read the sign you are 'entering' if you are approaching the 'back of the sign' you are exiting.

The sign was facing the canal.

[Alan de Enfield]

7 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

The sign was facing the canal.

 

Probably installed by some ejut on a youth experience scheme who had no idea, and no interest in what he was doing.

 

Its a good job our roadsigns are not installed by such people.

Warning signs about entering an area are installed so you can read them as you approach .............................

 

 

 

(A village just North of Lincoln - not a street full of spit !)

Edited March 22 by Alan de Enfield

[Rob-M]

The sign...