in later improvements, ever-longer cuts bypassed more and more sections of river. the mill owners prevented some of the more ambitious plans, but in many cases, the navigation company bought out the mills in order to remove the obstacles. with the aire and calder canal rebuilding its main line, the calder and hebble sought an act of parliament to effectively abandon the river, but this was modified, as the needs of mill owners and others who owned property on the river banks were recognised. nevertheless, the act, when it was passed in 1834, authorised the construction of major new cuts and the building of new locks, which would be as far at brighouse. the huddersfield canal pressed for the remaining locks to be extended to a similar length. a new cut between broad cut and the figure of three locks, which included two large locks, and a new large lock beside the old one at thornes were opened in 1838, but little more was done, despite the rochdale canal pressing for longer locks.