Railing for Marple Aqueduct

THE Canal & River Trust plans to install safety railings on the off-side of the Marple Aqueduct on the Peak Forest Canal.

We are not told of the total cost, but it seems out of all proportion to the job, with the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) contributing £1.5 million towards the project, with the remainder hopefully funded by public donations to the Canal & River Trust.

No protection

There are currently no protective railings to prevent people from falling from the aqueduct if they step off their boat onto the flat surface on the off side, across from the towpath. In recent years recorded incidents, observation and reported anecdotes have indicated that both adults and children have put themselves at risk, perhaps inadvertently, by stepping onto the unfenced area with a sheer drop of roughly 90 feet  down to the Goyt.

The Trust tells that it has carried out a safety review of the site and invited members of public to comment on proposals to make the aqueduct safer.

David Baldacchino, of the Trust, commented:

"Marple Aqueduct is a fabulous structure and the renovation programme is really allowing it to be seen at its best. There is a stone parapet on the towpath side of the canal but no fencing on the opposite side.

"This is the highest aqueduct in England and although warning signs discourage access to the unfenced side, it is clear that the lack of any fencing masks the significant risk that anyone stepping onto this area is facing.

Designs being prepared

Designs for the railings are now being prepared, guided by a majority preference outlined in the public consultation for traditional vertical iron rails. The timetable for installing the new railings is subject to Listed Building and Scheduled Ancient Monument consent.