De-silting Work Joins Up Waterways Once More

Tuesday, 15 March 2011 11:02

Boats are able to make their way through the navigational channel between the Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, and the River Tone at Firepool Lock for the first time in two years, thanks to a de-silting project that began last week.

Boats from Somerset Navigators Boat Club made the journey through the channel on Saturday to mark its re-opening and celebrate the beginning of the summer boating season.

The de-silting operation has opened up a full 16 miles of navigable waters for recreational use, linking the town of Bridgwater to the centre of Taunton for canal and river boats. The work is being project managed by Somerset Waterways Development Trust (SWDT) with the support of British Waterways and the Environment Agency, and has been made possible due to generous support from a number of organisations and businesses.. In addition to Project Taunton, these include Inland Waterways Association Restoration Committee, Tesco, Abbey Manor Developments, British Waterways, Knightstone Housing, Midas Homes, commercial property advisers Hatfield White, Taunton Deane Borough Council and Urban Initiatives.

The work contributes towards Project Taunton’s sustainable regeneration of the town centre, which aims to reinstate the River Tone as the town’s civic and community heart. The channel from Firepool Lock to the river has become progressively silted over a number of years, preventing boats from navigating from the canal to the town centre of Taunton and on to French Weir. The de-silting work enables local and visiting craft to access the River Tone through Taunton, and Somerset Navigators Boat Club is organising boats to make the journey, on a regular basis, now that this first phase of the project is completed successfully.

Dave Durdan, Chairman of Somerset Waterways Development Trust, said: “It’s fantastic that people will once again be able to boat through the heart of Taunton! This work opens up a wonderful stretch of water for recreational use, for both boats permanently moored on the canal and visiting vessels. The silt has been an issue for years - in fact as far back as the hot summer of 1874 there were complaints about the waterway being silted up with ‘offensive deposits’! Hopefully boat owners will make good use of the clear channel, ensuring it remains passable for years to come.”

Ian Franklin, Project Director for Project Taunton, adds: “The River Tone is a key element in the town centre’s regeneration.  It’s our intention that the river and its surroundings are brought back into focus, with adjoining public spaces of the highest quality and easy access along the river. We’re actively encouraging the use of the waterway for recreation by both residents and visitors alike. This de-silting work is an important development and yet another step forward in realising our regeneration plans.”

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