The winners will work alongside JN Bentley and Kier who were awarded the £500m complex civil engineering deal by the trust earlier this month across its 2,000 miles of waterways.

The seven successful contractors are Amco, Breheny, CPC Civils, Forkers, Jacksons, Land and Water and Onsite who will deliver less complex projects on a regional basis.

Malcolm Horne, trust chief infrastructure and programmes officer, said: “The ongoing task of caring for the thousands of historic assets that make up this extraordinary infrastructure network requires a substantial programme of work that, as the charity dedicated to protecting and preserving the waterways, we are committed to investing in. I am delighted to welcome our new contractors who will be working with us to take on this unique challenge.

“Amco, Breheny, CPC Civils, Forkers, Jacksons, Land and Water, and Onsite will be carrying out a suite of projects that will improve the experience for local communities, boaters and visitors, enabling more people to experience the benefits of spending time by the water.”

The new contracts will cover 1,582 locks, 55 tunnels, 2,970 bridges, 281 aqueducts and 71 reservoirs.