A £2 million project to improve a five-and-a-half-mile stretch of the Trent & Mersey Canal in Burton is underway.
The scheme, which will improve the towpath and enhance wildlife habitat along the 246-year-old canal, will make the historic waterway more attractive and puddle-free for boaters and local residents.
Funded by the Government’s Towns Fund, the towpath improvements are the first to be delivered under the banner by East Staffordshire Borough Council, working in partnership with the Canal & River Trust.
As well as resurfacing and widening work, access to the canal will also be improved making it easier for residents and boaters to visit and access local shops and businesses.
The new year-round towpath surface will run from Branston Water Park to Dove Aqueduct and will create a puddle and traffic free route for walkers, boaters, and cyclists.
Additional money from the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Transforming The Trent Valley scheme will pay for improvements to wildlife habitat along the canal, giving a boost to pollinators as well as birds and mammals including the critically endangered water vole.
The project will be delivered in three phases with the first phase being from Branston Water Park to the outskirts of Burton which will complete early in the new year.
The second phase from Stretton to Dove Aqueduct will follow, with the final phase focusing on the Snobhall area. The project is expected to be completed in spring or early summer 2024.
James Dennison, from Canal & River Trust, said: “This project will transform this section of towpath for the many local people who use it as part of their daily commute to work or as part of a nature walk into town.
“Our canals were originally built to transport goods around the country but now they are a place for boaters, and the local people who live and work alongside them, to spend some time in nature and enjoy the wellbeing benefits of being by water.”
Councillor Rob Hawkins, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Development, said: “These works will see improved access to the town’s canals, helping build much needed connections between various parts of Burton, allowing residents and visitors to explore the town whilst enjoying the beautiful scenery the canals provide.”
