Z Living waterways transform places and enrich lives Better towpaths on the Grand Union Canal from West Drayton to Paddington The Canal & River Trust is here On top of maintaining 2,000 infrastructure, we are constantly so you have a place to escape. miles of canals and rivers, which working to make our canals and A place where you can step are often over 200 years old, we rivers the very best they can be. off the pavement, onto the are responsible for an enormous towpath and breathe. network of bridges, embankments, Our waterway network is a national towpaths, aqueducts, docks and treasure. It makes people’s lives We are a charity, and we are reservoirs and more. better. We’re here to ensure that entrusted to care for 2,000 miles of it is protected forever. waterways in England and Wales. From improving towpaths for cyclists and creating new wildlife We all live in an increasingly fast- habitats to maintaining our distinctive paced and crowded world. Our historic waterways are the antidote A history of the Grand Union Canal to this. They provide an unfenced, 1979 National Grid installed ‘no turnstiles’ opportunity to interact into towpath; after years of decline, provides new Years of decline force income for canal and 1942 hard towpath surface with history and nature next to canal companies to merge and become World War II - in places Grand Union Canal the Ministry of Grand Junction Canal Company War Transport took soothing water. Grand Junction network (including Brentford control of the canal Canal Act passed to Braunston) fully opened 1929 1957 2005 Regent’s Canal acquired British British Waterways by Grand Union Canal Waterways starts working with Company is formed Transport for London to improve towpaths What’s Happening on the Grand Union Canal What’s happening? Canal & River Trust’s London towpaths are more popular and being enjoyed more than ever before. We are transforming over 16 miles of towpath between Paddington and West Drayton working in partnership with Transport for London under the Quietways programme. Building on previous improvements between Paddington and West Drayton, we will be providing: When is it happening? • better quality surfaces The work will be undertaken • wider paths from the end of 2016 through • improved access points to 2018 in phases, starting • new signs between Ladbroke Grove and Old Oak Lane and bringing huge benefits to everyone visiting finishing at West Drayton. and enjoying West London canals. Trimming hedges and trees has started along the route to clear the way for surfacing improvements. Quietways The Transport for London Quietways programme Quietways are being delivered aims to enable more people to cycle, more and funded by Transport for London, safely, more often. The London Boroughs, Canal & River Trust and The Royal Parks. • Quietways will be a network of high quality, well signed cycle routes, guiding cyclists along The route between Paddington and West Drayton less-busy backstreets, parks, along waterways will be signed as a Quietway route with improved or tree lined streets towpath surfaces, wider paths, better accesses and improved signs benefitting all our visitors. • The routes will link key destinations and are designed to appeal to new and existing cyclists Quietways The first seven routes who want to use quieter, low-traffic routes, ENFIELD BARNET Q2 complementing other cycling initiatives in Q6 Bloomsbury to HARROW Mile End to HARINGEY Walthamstow REDBRIDGE Barkingside Q3 WALTHAM HAVERING Regent’s Park to FOREST London, such as the Cycle Superhighways Gladstone Park HACKNEY HILLINGDON BRENT CAMDEN ISLINGTON BARKING & DAGENHAM NEWHAM TOWER EALING CITY OF CITY HAMLETS KENSINGTONWESTMINSTER & CHELSEA HAMMERSMITH & FULHAM GREENWICH SOUTHWARK HOUNSLOW Q1 Waterloo to BEXLEY WANDSWORTH Greenwich LAMBETH RICHMOND UPON LEWISHAM THAMES Q4 Clapham Common Q7 to Wimbledon MERTON Q5 Elephant & Castle KINGSTON Waterloo to Crystal Palace UPON to Norbury THAMES BROMLEY SUTTON CROYDON 0 2 4 6 8 10 Kilometres Corr Z Better Towpaths for everyone In 2014 we asked people about how towpaths We’re already delivering better signs across all 2,000 across England & Wales should be improved miles of towpaths and our “Share the Space, Drop Your and received a huge response. Pace” behaviour campaign is now established nationally as a way to encourage good behaviour and respect for Three priorities emerged: all when enjoying the waterways. • Better infrastructure (such as improved towpaths and access to them) • Better signs • Better behaviours from everyone Our Towpath Code Share the space – towpaths are popular places to be enjoyed by everyone. Please be mindful of others, keep dogs under control, and clean up after them. Drop your pace – pedestrians have priority on our towpaths so cyclists need to be ready to slow down; if you’re in a hurry, consider using an alternative route for your journey. It’s a special place – our waterways are living history, with boats, working locks and low bridges so please give way to waterway users and be extra careful where visibility is limited. Z Better Infrastructure Towpath improvements Get Involved Love your canal and it will love you back Talk to us about your local canal area. You might be part of a community group looking for some space to do something new or just want to volunteer a bit of space time. Ways to volunteer Case Study: The There are many ways to volunteer with us, from full-time Hanover School roles to occasional days out on the towpath. People volunteer for all sorts of reasons, from gaining work Community Garden experience to meeting new friends. In 2010 we meet with the people of Islington to talk about anti-social • In the great outdoors or an the office behaviour Regent’s Canal and we • Professionally skilled volunteer roles e.g. explorers met the deputy head of Hanover education volunteers Primary School. He told us that • Public-facing volunteer roles e.g. towpath rangers, they had run out of space for their lock keepers garden project, so we agreed to help them build a community garden on the towpath. Towpath Taskforce Thanks to public donations and grants from the Would you like to meet new people, get your Mayor of London’s Pocket Parks Scheme, this hands dirty and make a difference to your local stretch of canal has now become the perfect canal? Towpath Taskforce teams could be just place for those looking to escape the London’s the thing you’re looking for! You can come along busy streets. It’s also an outdoor classroom for whenever you’re free, whether that’s once a the children, a boon for biodiversity in the area and month or more regularly. And you’ll be helping cited as major factor in the decrease in anti-social us to really make a difference. Donate or become a Friend of the Trust We need your help to ensure that your canals and rivers become and remain vital local havens for people and nature. By supporting us you can help your wonderful waterways to thrive today and ensure they’re protected for future generations to enjoy..