A detailed audit of the Erewash Canal Towpath barriers has been carried out by Pedals members David Nicholson-Cole and David Lally. The published report can be found here or by clicking the image below.
Written by Hugh McClintock in the Pedals newsletter:
Although the Erewash Canal towpath, part of the Derbyshire arm of the Erewash Valley Trail, lies just across the County boundary, many Nottinghamshire cyclists of course use it.
About two years ago therefore, Peter Briggs from Pedals, following a nasty accident which a friend of his had when colliding with one of the barriers on the towpath, approach the Canal and River Trust to ask for the barriers to be removed.
In response Dick Vincent, the CRT National Towpaths Adviser, agreed to have a site meeting with Peter and Hugh McClintock, attended also by several of his CRT colleagues, national and regional.
Having seen the problems at first hand, they agreed to go away and think about how to address them and the idea of a possible national pilot scheme to remove or at least modify them.
Earlier this year Dick Vincent approached Peter for help by Pedals in carrying out an audit of all the barriers on the towpath, between Trent Lock and Langley Mill, an offer which we much welcomed.
Since then, and greatly helped by extensive field work by David Nicholson-Cole and David Lally, an excellent detailed very wellillustrated dossier has been compiled and recently submitted to the CRT.
Very many thanks to the two Davids and Peter for all their hard work on this which, we hope, will in due course lead to worthwhile changes on this towpath and perhaps also others, funding permitting.
David Nicholson-Cole commented:- “I have been asked to send out the May 2025 finished version of the Erewash gates study that we (Pedals) have been working on in Spring 2025. Although the Canal is in good condition, there are many which need improving. I have been on group cycle rides where the number of gates on a single ride has become 20 or 25, with the riders having to lift ebikes through narrow gates, when the logical observer can see that many are redundant, over severe or still failing to meet their purpose, which is presumed to be to prevent motor vehicles using the trail. Thus, the study is a prototype of methodology for photosurveying any cycling route, for gates and hazards. Recommended Sustrans criteria have been used.
Further formatting here.