£2.5 millions for Caldon

Staffordshire County Council and Pedal Peak District are to spend a total of £3.5 million pounds on the Caldon Canal—but alas not on the waterway itself but just the towpath.

This amount of money will however only provide just over seven miles of towpath, covering the waterway from Stockton Brook to Hazelhurst Junction, with a part of the Leek Branch. Alan Tilbury tells us.

Stone surface

However, there is the chance that instead of the usual high speed surface of tarmac, that is such a bane to both walkers and boaters alighting from boats, the surface will be of stone in an attempt to stop what is commonly known as Lycra Louts speeding past.

We are told this to to encourage people to walk and cycle along the towpath, and an education campaign in promised to educate the various fractions, that however has been unsuccessful in other areas, with the narrowness of the available space.

Work is starting this month and will take 16 months.