£2m project to transform canal begins

Five-and-a-half miles of towpath will be resurfaced and widened

A £2m plan to transform a canal for future generations in Burton-upon-Trent is being launched.

The Canal & River Trust said the scheme would make the 246-year-old Trent and Mersey Canal more attractive and puddle-free for boaters and walkers.

A stretch of five-and-a-half miles of towpath will be resurfaced and widened between Branston Water Park and the Dove Aqueduct.

Part of the project will be funded by the government’s Towns Fund, being delivered in partnership with East Staffordshire Borough Council.

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.”

James Dennison, enterprise manager for the trust, added: “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."

'Green highways'

Additional money from the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Transforming The Trent Valley scheme will pay for enhancements to wildlife habitat along the canal.

The Canal & River Trust said it hoped to boost pollinators as well as birds and mammals - including the critically endangered water vole.

The water voles will benefit from the installation of special coir rolls, which are sausage-shaped mats pre-planted with wildflowers and water plants, it said.

As well as protecting the canal bank from erosion and creating a lush green waterway edge, the rolls provide homes for water voles.

New trees will also be planted, and hedgerows improved to aid nature recovery and re-establish “green highways” for wildlife such as dragonflies, dormice, and bees.

During the works, the towpath and visitor boat moorings will remain open for as long as possible, the trust said.

The project is expected to be completed in spring or early summer 2024.