- home ›
- canals & rivers ›
- regents canal ›
- improvements to the regents canal towpath
Improvements to the Regent's Canal towpath
Improvements to the Regent's Canal towpath
The increase in towpath users has been accompanied by an increase in verbal and written complaints to British Waterways reporting incidents of actual and near conflict between pedestrians and cyclists and more general observations about the number and speed of cyclists.
To improve the safety for towpath users in Central London, British Waterways London has been working in partnership with Transport for London to make the towpath safer and more accessible to the thousands of people who use them every day for walking, cycling, jogging and boating.
Following advice from independent experts and liaison with local user groups, a series of physical towpath safety improvements between Old Ford Lock and Camden Town were completed at the end of April and a new Code of Conduct for all towpath users is currently being promoted.
The improvements include:
- a trial of chicanes at City Road Lock in Islington and between Wharf Road and Packington Square in Hackney;
- rumble strips and the words give way written at some bridges with poor sightlines;
- rumble strips and the word slow written on the towpath at some blind corners and slopes;
- towpath refurbishment at a number of locations;
- new Code of Conduct signs displayed at entrances to the towpath;
- improved directional signs at some access points;
- new shared use path signs along the towpath.
British Waterways continues to work with a number of partners, including Transport for London and local authorities, to improve London’s towpaths for the benefit of all users.
