Canal towpath closures

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
Slowroad
Posts: 994
Joined: 28 Jun 2008, 9:58pm
Location: Nottingham, UK

Canal towpath closures

Post by Slowroad »

In the past I've grumbled because I didn't know where to find out if towpaths are closed - well here is the webpage! Includes an option for towpath issues as well as navigation etc.
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices
“My two favourite things in life are libraries and bicycles. They both move people forward without wasting anything. The perfect day: riding a bike to the library.”
― Peter Golkin
Mistik-ka
Posts: 505
Joined: 5 Feb 2012, 10:01pm
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Re: Canal towpath closures

Post by Mistik-ka »

Thanks! This is very helpful. :)
theDaveB
Posts: 268
Joined: 18 Feb 2013, 3:09pm
Location: Cheshire, UK
Contact:

Re: Canal towpath closures

Post by theDaveB »

I can't find my local canals on the site and one of them has a footpath diversion in place for the next 18 months.

Dave
User avatar
RickH
Posts: 5832
Joined: 5 Mar 2012, 6:39pm
Location: Horwich, Lancs.

Re: Canal towpath closures

Post by RickH »

theDaveB wrote:I can't find my local canals on the site and one of them has a footpath diversion in place for the next 18 months.

Dave

There are a few canals that aren't part of the Canal & River Trust network.

Alternatively, check carefully that they aren't officially a branch of another canal even if not generally known by that name. You can check what the canal is, if it is part of the network, on the map here.

Rick.
Former member of the Cult of the Polystyrene Head Carbuncle.
thirdcrank
Posts: 36764
Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm

Re: Canal towpath closures

Post by thirdcrank »

This looks like one for "Too good to lose."
Richard Fairhurst
Posts: 2028
Joined: 2 Mar 2008, 4:57pm
Location: Charlbury, Oxfordshire

Re: Canal towpath closures

Post by Richard Fairhurst »

DaveB - given that your location is Cheshire, I'm guessing the canal you can't find is the Bridgewater. That's an independent canal run by the Manchester Ship Canal Co (who, in turn, are part of Peel Holdings) so you won't find it on the CRT website. They do have their own website at http://www.bridgewatercanal.co.uk/ but there doesn't appear to be any information on towpath closures.

I'm currently doing some work with CRT on getting new, better maps onto their website so hopefully finding towpath information will be easier still in the future!
cycle.travel - maps, journey-planner, route guides and city guides
User avatar
Si
Moderator
Posts: 15191
Joined: 5 Jan 2007, 7:37pm

Re: Canal towpath closures

Post by Si »

thirdcrank wrote:This looks like one for "Too good to lose."


Consider it done.
Mistik-ka
Posts: 505
Joined: 5 Feb 2012, 10:01pm
Location: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Re: Canal towpath closures

Post by Mistik-ka »

Si wrote:
thirdcrank wrote:This looks like one for "Too good to lose."


Consider it done.

:D
theDaveB
Posts: 268
Joined: 18 Feb 2013, 3:09pm
Location: Cheshire, UK
Contact:

Re: Canal towpath closures

Post by theDaveB »

Richard Fairhurst wrote:DaveB - given that your location is Cheshire, I'm guessing the canal you can't find is the Bridgewater. That's an independent canal run by the Manchester Ship Canal Co (who, in turn, are part of Peel Holdings) so you won't find it on the CRT website. They do have their own website at http://www.bridgewatercanal.co.uk/ but there doesn't appear to be any information on towpath closures.

I'm currently doing some work with CRT on getting new, better maps onto their website so hopefully finding towpath information will be easier still in the future!


Sorry,I should have said which one. It is the St Helens Canal and part of it is the Trans Penine and it is closed due to the Mersey Gateway Bridge being built.

Also I couldn't find the Manchester Ship Canal.

Dave
Bicycler
Posts: 3400
Joined: 4 Dec 2013, 3:33pm

Re: Canal towpath closures

Post by Bicycler »

The Manchester Ship canal is the responsibility of the Manchester Ship Canal Company not the C&RT.
The St. Helen's Canal is officially known as the Sankey Canal and is officially closed to navigation, so again it does not fall under the C&RT.
pete75
Posts: 16356
Joined: 24 Jul 2007, 2:37pm

Re: Canal towpath closures

Post by pete75 »

As craft using canals these days have an engine is there still any requirement for a towpath? For the same reason they no longer have people to leg boats through tunnels.
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
Bicycler
Posts: 3400
Joined: 4 Dec 2013, 3:33pm

Re: Canal towpath closures

Post by Bicycler »

Most users of the canals these days use the towpath rather than the water. Indeed, as Dave shows, there are canals which have been closed to navigation for decades but where the towpaths are still well used. Lots of the river navigations have lost their old towpaths. Where towpaths were provided as part of a canal and the canal itself has been maintained the towpath has almost always been maintained as well.
Postboxer
Posts: 1929
Joined: 24 Jul 2013, 5:19pm

Re: Canal towpath closures

Post by Postboxer »

Still tempting to drain and pave them all though.
pwa
Posts: 17357
Joined: 2 Oct 2011, 8:55pm

Re: Canal towpath closures

Post by pwa »

Postboxer wrote:Still tempting to drain and pave them all though.


I'm holidaying on them in a couple of weeks, so keep your hands off that plug!
Postboxer
Posts: 1929
Joined: 24 Jul 2013, 5:19pm

Re: Canal towpath closures

Post by Postboxer »

If you were designing a city from scratch these days, you could have a cycle network much like a canal network, completely separate from the roads going directly to useful places.
Post Reply