Improvements to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal towpath through Burnley have been completed.
The work included widening and resurfacing a 1.2 mile stretch of the towpath between Westgate and Yorkshire Street, and improving the access point at Manchester Road where steps were altered to incorporate an access ramp.
Commenting Burnley and Padiham's MP Antony Higginbotham said:
The canals may have played a big part in our history but they are still very much in use today. We've all seen the improvements at Finsley Gate Wharf, the reopening of the Inn on the Wharf, or the Marina near Barden Lane. And so keeping our canal paths open and accessible to the public is important and very much welcomed.
Rachel Daley, project manager for the Canal & River Trust, said:
Research shows that spending time by water is good for our physical and mental health. These towpath improvements are important because it will make it easier for people to access the wonderful Leeds and Liverpool Canal on their doorstep.
As a charity we’re incredibly grateful for the funding that makes these towpath improvements possible for the benefit of the local communities the canal runs through. It’s great to see how much local people value the canal: their support is vital so that we can continue to protect and preserve our historic waterways and avert the decline we saw last century.
The project was delivered by the Canal & River Trust, in partnership with the council, and funded by a very small portion of the Levelling Up Money we secured. The towpath work is part of a wider scheme to enhance links between Manchester Road railway station, the University of Lancashire (UCLan) campus and the town centre.
