| UK. Lost route to sea closer to £1.2 million restoration |
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| Wednesday, 25 August 2004 | |
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Press release: Plans have been proposed for the Wey & Arun Canal to cross the B2133 in Loxwood, West Sussex. The Wey & Arun Canal Trust want to build a tunnel for London’s lost route to the sea under the road by the Onslow Arms. The Trust is currently raising the £1.2 million that the ambitious project is expected to cost. The task would take place in three stages: Stage One: engineers will lower the canal by the Onslow Arms and divert various services at a cost of £500,000, which has been raised by the Trust. Stage Two: the canal will be lowered 1.5m from Brewhurst lock to the east side of the B2133. Stage Three: a tunnel will be built under the B2133 High Street at Loxwood and then enthusiastic trust volunteers will build a new lock on the west side of the road. It is hoped work on stage one will begin at the beginning of 2006. It would not be possible for stage three to be completed without the co-operation and generosity of the landowners through which the canal passes. All stages are subject to approval by West Sussex County Council, local councillors and others. The project is part of a national strategy to connect Littlehampton to Kendal by inland waterway. At one point, the canal was linked Loxwood to Guildford and the Thames by water and when this project is complete, another part of London’s lost route to the sea will have been put into place. Project manager, Eric Walker, commented: “This bridge is the most difficult part of the canal restoration in West Sussex. The road was realigned in the post war period and the angle between the road and the canal makes for a complex design. This is a beautiful rural canal and our aim is to enhance the availability of the canal to all its users – walkers, riders and boaters.” |
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 25 August 2004 ) |
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