Traffic on the river in 1823 was 39,516 tons, which generated tolls of £2,194.
After the construction of the canal, traffic steadily declined, until income was insufficient to cover maintenance by the early 1860s.
The canal company used a similar accounting practice to manage the Tone debt, inflating it at six per cent each year, to ensure that they could demonstrate that the river was unprofitable.

Navigation was further affected by the passing of the Somersetshire Drainage Act on 1 July 1878, which resulted in the River Parrett being taken over by the Drainage Commissioners, and abandoned as a navigation.
Limited traffic continued to use the lower reaches of the Tone, with the last barge using the Burrowbridge to Ham Mills section in 1929.
In 1967 the Somerset River Authority applied to the Ministry of Agriculture for permission to remove the navigation rights, and the original acts of parliament were repealed under section 41 of the Land Drainage Act (1930).
This allowed the river through Taunton to be straightened, and a weir to be constructed at Firepool, to improve the flood defences for Taunton.
Above the weir, the river is still navigable as far as French Weir.
Traffic on the river in 1823 was 39,516 tons, which generated tolls of £2,194. After the construction of the canal, traffic steadily declined, until income was insufficient to cover maintenance by the early 1860s. The canal company used a similar accounting practice to manage the Tone debt, inflating it at six per cent each year, to ensure that they could demonstrate that the river was unprofitable.
Navigation was further affected by the passing of the Somersetshire Drainage Act on 1 July 1878, which resulted in the River Parrett being taken over by the Drainage Commissioners, and abandoned as a navigation. Limited traffic continued to use the lower reaches of the Tone, with the last barge using the Burrowbridge to Ham Mills section in 1929. In 1967 the Somerset River Authority applied to the Ministry of Agriculture for permission to remove the navigation rights, and the original acts of parliament were repealed under section 41 of the Land Drainage Act (1930). This allowed the river through Taunton to be straightened, and a weir to be constructed at Firepool, to improve the flood defences for Taunton. Above the weir, the river is still navigable as far as French Weir.
River Tone