Location

From

To

An Overview from David Marshall - Stroud District Council

Canal towpath closures occur to ensure the health and safety of the public.

The reason public access must be restricted is usually a construction activity involving heavy excavators and other vehicles in the creation of deep excavations. The linear nature of the canal and limited access to work sites can make the restoration task difficult. 

Legal Status

The towpath is a public right of way (PROW), the County Council's PROW office has gone through the statutory process necessary for temporary closures. 

In addition, most work has – by law – to be carried out during the winter months in order to avoid disturbance to nesting birds.

Ebley Mill Area

The towpath east of Ebley Mill is being temporarily removed in its entirety to allow the construction of a weir to control the level of water in the canal.

It is hoped to reopen the short length of towpath between Hilly Orchard Bridge (Cainscross) and Dudbridge Bridge in the next week or so, at least for a few weeks.

Crossing the A46/A419 on foot at Dudbridge Bridge would not be wise. However, a safe alternative routing is available by using the crossing near Sainsburys, or by using pedestrian crossings at Westward Road, Cashes Green Road, Paganhill Lane and Cainscross Road.

Conclusions & Aspirations

It is appreciated that closures cause inconvenience to towpath users, but we hope people will ultimately find the disruption worthwhile - particularly with regard to the improved canal and resurfaced towpath widened to 2 metres where possible.

The project is intended to improve the local economy and create a better amenity for local people. We hope that local people will be able to bear with us whilst we do this work as quickly and safely as we can. 

David Marshall 
Canal Manager
Stroud District Council