Burnley Leeds and Liverpool Canal towpath improvements underway

The 1.2 mile section between Yorkshire Street aqueduct and Westgate will be upgraded to provide a high-quality walking and cycling route across the town.

The towpath will remain generally open during the work, which is expected to last 18 weeks, although there may be some disruption and a need for temporary closures.

Joe Hildred, enterprise manager for the Canal and River Trust, said: “Research shows that spending time by water is good for our physical and mental health and these improvements will make it easier for people visiting, living and working in Burnley to enjoy the canal.

“As a charity we’re incredibly grateful for the funding that makes these improvements possible for the benefit of the local communities the canal runs through. It’s great to see how much local people value the canal: their support is vital so that we can continue to protect and preserve our historic waterways and avert the decline we saw last century.”

Burnley Council's chief operating officer Lukman Patel said: “This is a well-used section of towpath but in parts it is narrow and worn, and can get muddy in wet weather.

“This work will sort that out and make it an even more pleasant walk through the historic heart of Burnley, taking in part of the Straight Mile, the recently renovated Finsley Gate wharf and the Weavers' Triangle. It will also create a much-improved ‘green’ off-road route between Manchester Road railway station and the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) campus at Sandygate.

The project is being delivered on behalf of the Canal and River Trust and Burnley Council by CPC Civils. The works are part of the borough's Levelling Up programme, funded by the Department of Levelling Up, Homes and Communities.

The Burnley Express revealed in November that a 2km section of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal towpath in Burnley is to be replaced as part of an effort to improve accessibility.

The Canal and River Trust can be contacted for further information by emailing [email protected], or by phoning 0303 040 4040.