Kennet and Avon Canal Towpath Upgrade Begins 2027

West Berkshire Council will start work in January 2027 to protect and improve the Kennet and Avon Canal towpath in Newbury town centre. From Monday 11 January contractor Volker will install new sheet piling along the north side of the canal between Northbrook Street Bridge (Town Bridge) and Park Way Bridge (American Bridge).

Similar piling will be done on a short section of riverbank on the south side near the Peace Garden.

The current steel piling has deteriorated and parts of the towpath have begun to sink. Temporary repairs have been used before; this scheme provides a long-term fix by replacing and reinforcing the piling and improving the towpath surface.

Work will be carried out from a floating pontoon with a piling rig. New sheet piles will be driven into the riverbed in front of the deteriorated piling, the old timber capping removed, the gap infilled, new capping fitted and sections of blockwork relaid.

The works should take about seven weeks and will run 8am-6pm, Monday to Friday. The affected section of towpath will be closed while work is underway.

An alternative route for walking and wheeling will be available via Bridge Street (Town Bridge), Mansion House Street, Wharf Street, the footway on Park Way Bridge and the ramp at the corner of Victoria Park to rejoin the towpath on the east side of Park Way Bridge.

People cycling will need to dismount when using the Park Way Bridge footway, the ramp at the corner of Park Way Bridge and westbound in Mansion House Street.

The council says it recognises the disruption and noise this will cause and will use measures to minimise the impact, including temporary noise reduction fencing along the north side of the river.

Stuart Gourley (Lib Dem, Newbury Clay Hill), executive member for environment and highways, said: "These important works will help safeguard the River Kennet towpath and ensure it remains safe and accessible for everyone who uses it.

"While we appreciate that the piling process will generate some noise, the improvements will provide a long-term solution and help protect this well-used route for many years to come.

"We thank residents, businesses and visitors for their patience while the works are carried out."

Niki Hinman, Local Democracy Reporter