River Colne Towpath

Jointline Construction specialist surfacing division completed a 5km towpath that runs from Colne Vale Road, Milnsbridge to Britannia Road in Slaithwaite Town Centre for CPC Civils - who were contracted by the Canal River Trust and Kier.

The 5km, 2m wide, route was dressed in 6mm double washed trent pea gravel with a Colas Surfix 80s binder. Jointline also invested in specialist plant and equipment to meet the client requirements with weight limits on the towpath, including a boiler tanker to heat the binders, a 1 tonne dumper with sprayer chipper facility and mechanical hand sprayers.

The contract was made even more logistically challenging as the Jointline team were unable to use floating pontoons or hoppers for the transportation of materials and plant from the water. One section of the canal had suffered a breach resulting in the drainage of water from the canal so to avoid congestion for the canal users, in particular on the long lock sections Jointline agreed with the client that they would transport all material and plant via 1 tonne dumpers from localised loading points situated in various remote locations through the full length of the towpath.

In order to manage the high number of pedestrians and cycle traffic on the towpath during the 4 weeks of construction, Jointline operatives marshalled members of the public through the works area to prevent totally closing the towpath and causing disruption. Weather conditions meant that the programme was checked and amended daily to prevent damage to the surface and contamination into the water course if it rained. By managing pedestrian flow in this way, Jointline were able to keep the towpath open for both pedestrians and cyclists.

The tar & chip towpath replaces a black tarmacadam path and now provides an aesthetically pleasing finish that blends in with the local surroundings. As a useful amenity for residents in the area, as well as businesses that have links to the canal the route is now fully accessible and provides a scenic route for cyclists and pedestrians.