Bedford Basin sits at the western end of the Bridgewater Canal's Leigh stretch, marking the boundary of the canal's Bridgewater Canal Conservation Area as defined by Wigan Council.

The basin extends eastward toward Butts Bridge, passing through a corridor that includes historic mill buildings along the north bank.

The site has industrial roots dating to the 1860s, when the Fletcher family constructed Bedford Basin with facilities for loading coal, connecting it to local colliery operations by private railway.

Today it serves as a recognizable landmark and access point along this privately owned waterway, which offers paddlers and boaters a largely flat, navigable route through the area.