It’s been about a year since the section of the Kennet and Avon Canal towpath between Hambridge Road and the A339 was surfaced. The Canal and River Trust (C&RT) consulted when this was first proposed, and the feedback was that people wanted the path to have a surface dressing to soften its appearance and make it appear less urban.

The C&RT have finally got round to finishing the job, and the finished result looks pretty good. However, it now means that there is a layer of loose stones on the surface, which is far from ideal for cyclists. The stones are laid on a thin screed of bitumen and are initially rolled in, but they then need to be compacted by people walking and cycling along the path, which is a process that takes place over several months.

This means that cyclists will needs to take extra care when using this section of towpath, since sudden braking or turning manoeuvres could result in skidding. The transition to and from the bridges now represent a particular hazard. This is a common maintenance technique for roads and schemes are usually accompanied by signs advising road users to slow down due to the presence of loose chippings. We will be asking for signs to be put up to advise cyclists of the issue and encourage them to slow down (or potentially dismount at critical locations) while the stones bed in.