THE Wendover Canal Trust (WCT) has announced that work on the upgrade of the 1.7 mile (2.7km) canal towpath between Wendover and Halton is now complete.
This high-specification upgrade was supervised by the Canal & River Trust and the work was carried out by its contractors Kier plc and The Rothen Group. The result is an all-weather, 1.5m-wide path, with bank reinforcing, a strong membrane, a solid 100mm foundation and a 50mm surface of Centrack which is limestone based, highly durable, widely used and particularly suited to this rural environment.
The improvement will enable people of all ages and abilities to use the towpath, so that families, schoolchildren, walkers, runners, cyclists and those with reduced mobility will all be able to use the path whatever the weather or time of year.
This project has been made possible through funding from the HS2 Chiltern AONB Review Group (with the substantial support of Chilterns Conservation Board), Wendover Parish Council, Wendover Community Board, Lionel Abel-Smith Trust and Halton Parish Council.
Over the coming months, Wendover Canal Trust will be replacing the railings at the beginning of the canal at Wharf Road and erecting signage along the entire route from Wendover to Halton; this is largely being funded by the EKFB joint venture (Eiffage, Kier, Ferrovial Construction and BAM Nuttall).
The upgrading of the towpath will be celebrated with an event in the spring, more information on which will follow. The funding bids for this project have been led by the Wendover Canal Trust.
