Towpath closures ahead as work on canal continues

The Wichelstowe Joint Venture has revealed the next stages in its work to find and fix the leaks in the canal at East Wichel. Despite several years of investigations so far, and attempts to stop the leaks, both aqueducts on the canal continue to lose water.

Starting next week, from 20th March, and continuing for three months, works will attempt to fix the leaks at both of the aqueducts on the canal. There will also be further investigations on the rest of the canal between the aqueducts and up to the lock near Foxham Way, as they remain unsure whether those sections are leaking too.

Work will initially focus on the eastern aqueduct, over a drainage channel near Scorhill Lane, and later progress to the western aqueduct over the stream from Wroughton. As the remaining leaks are thought to be on the towpath side of the canal, the work will lead to the towpath begin closed from time-to-time over the next three months. This will allow a concrete barrier to be constructed under the towpath at the eastern aqueduct, and for steel sheet piles to be added at the western aqueduct.

With it now being almost five years since attempts started to plug the leaks in the canal, fixing the leaks seems long overdue.