Salford Quays

Salford Quays is one of the UK’s best cultural, sporting and leisure destinations, attracting international visitors. It is also home to thousands of people, the BBC, ITV and a host of creative businesses.

The area is known for its unique waterways, popular restaurants and bars, shopping, iconic buildings and a variety of hotels which make it the perfect destination for a day out or short break. 

You’ll find world-class arts and culture at the Lowry, home to the largest collection of work by artist LS Lowry, other art exhibitions and top quality theatre performances. Nearby is the Imperial War Museum in the North, exploring the impact of conflict on people and society.

The waterways which run through the Quays are a huge part of its attraction with visitors looking to enjoy boat cruises and watersports.

Keeping Salford Quays clean

Salford Quays is one of our busiest visitor hotspots and it takes a team effort to keep it clean and litter free.

Council employees empty bins at least daily but if the nearest bin happens to be full, please find another bin or take your litter home.

The Quays also has a fantastic team of local residents who volunteer to carry out regular clean ups. If you would like more information about this please email jeanette.coward@salford.gov.uk and we will pass on your contact details.

Debris in the water

Did you know water from five rivers drains into Salford Quays?

That means any debris in those rivers, natural or otherwise also flows into the Quays and collects at certain points. Stormy weather or heavy rain increases the water flow and you will notice larger build ups of debris in the Quays afterwards.

Salford City Council owns some of the waterways in the Quays; the rest is owned either by Peel or private owners. A plan showing ownership is available below.  

Salford City Council cleans up its waters regularly and as quickly as possible by hiring one of the litter boats which work the full length of the Ship Canal.

Information about debris which is not in council waters is passed on to the other owners with a request to clear it. The council has no control over how quickly they respond.

If you see debris in the water you can:

  • Tweet @SalfordCCHelp with the exact location of the debris
  • Phone 0161 793 2500 to report it (but please be aware lines can be busy)

Enjoy the water

We want everyone to enjoy the water safely.

Regular, supervised open water swimming sessions can be booked through the Salford Watersports Centre.

Wetsuits can be hired and there are safety measures in place to monitor water quality and to protect swimmers.

The centre also hosts a range of supervised watersports including canoeing, paddleboarding and wakeboarding.

Regular, supervised sessions can also be booked through USwim. 

Be safe

Unsupervised swimming in the Quays and jumping from bridges is not allowed for your safety. No matter how hot the weather, open water in Salford Quays is cold. The risk of drowning through cold water shock is real.

Everyone gasps as they land in cold water – it’s an automatic reaction. That could mean you take water into your lungs and get into difficulties. If you go deep below the surface you could get caught on some hidden hazard and struggle to come back up.

Watch this short film where an experienced swimmer and the police underwater team talk about the dangers.

Please don’t risk your life. We have an order in place and you could be penalised.

Downloadable documents

If you are unable to view documents of these types, our downloads page provides links to viewing software.

This page was last updated on 30 March 2023

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