A much better use

IT HAS been decided that works to reopen the Albert Street Cutting on the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal are due to start in October.

This will see the removal of the timber props installed in the 1970s across the canal leading to the closure of the towpath, Trevor Mapstone reports.

Monitoring equipment

The work will also involve installing remote monitoring equipment to measure for any movement on the walls of the cutting, clearing overgrowing vegetation along the towpath, and drilling additional ‘weep holes’ into the walls to prevent the potential build-up of groundwater pressure.

There is a 'public engagement' event on 1st October for local people to discover more about the repairs.

 Canal & River Trust will be removing the timber props, which do not provide any critical support, and will be reusing the timber to create a terraced flower bed on site, with Trevor remarking these oak supports would be more use if used for lock beams!