Traffic on the navigation in the 19th century
The Driffield Navigation was designed for Yorkshire Keels. These sailing boats, with shallow draft, were capable of sailing up confined navigations, yet with their lee-boards down, they were equally able to navigate the Humber and Coastal waters. The usual dimensions were 6Oft long, 15ft beam, with a 7ft draft when fully laden with 100 tons. They had a 5Oft mast which carried two sails, a large mainsail and a small topsail. For passage up the navigation, with a depth of 5ft 6ins, 65 tons was the maximum cargo that could be carried. The first record of a steam boat on the Navigation was in 1817 when a Steam Packet from Driffield to Hull operated three times per week. This was followed in 1825 by an Express Steam Packet. During the 1820’s, regular Grain and Flour traffic developed, making Driffield the main grain marketing center for the region. Traffic on the Navigation - 1821 to 1833
| Years | Coal chaldrons | Wheat | Oats Quarters | Barley Quarters | Flour sacks | Toll receipts |
| 1821 | 5,027 | 7,553 | 13,634 | small | 301 | £1,125 |
| 1822-24 | 5,445 | 7,553 | 17,070 | small | 1,150 | £1,494 |
| 1825-27 | 4,599 | 20,621 | 11,715 | 8,610 | 983 | £1,616 |
| 1828-30 | 4,599 | 12,054 | 3,873 | 12,546 | 12,546 | £1,218 |
| 1831-33 | 4,181 | 13,191 | 5,884 | 17,933 | 2,164 | £1,355 |
This traffic continued at a high level even after the advent of the railway in 1846. By cutting Tolls by half the Commissioners defeated the proposal to build a branch line from Driffield to Frodingham Bridge. In 1855, to combat further competition from the Railway Companies, the Commissioners asked Edward Walsh to make a report on the Navigation and recommend how it could be improved. Various proposals were made, but after strong opposition from local Landowners, the proposals were dropped. In 1862 the Driffield and East Riding Pure Linseed Cake Company built a new Mill at Driffield, close to the Canal Head. In 1870 the Mill was extended, bringing even more regular trade to the Navigation. The proceeds from this trade enabled the Commissioners to install a Crane at Canal Head in 1865, and rebuild Bethell's Bridge and re-gate Whinhill Lock in 1867. By 1870 the trade was beginning to fall. The amount of Coal carried up the Canal slowly declined, but the back haul of grain declined far more quickly. The following table shows how the tonnage declined:
| Year | Tonnage |
| 1871 | 35,654 |
| 1888 | 28,818 |
| 1898 | 24,117 |
| 1905 | 24,378 |
Goods carried included Coal, Linseed, Cottonseed, Wheat Flour, and (later) Artificial Manure