Improving the canal towpath between Saltaire and Bingley

Sustrans and the Canal & River Trust are making improvements to the canal towpath around Shipley and Saltaire. Works are planned:

• to begin from 21 October 2024
• For approximately 9 weeks
• Aiming for completion by the end of December 2024

It is important to note that these dates are subject to change due to uncontrollable circumstances eg poor weather conditions.

The canal towpath must be closed to the public during construction. The towpath is consistently busy and lacks access points from which users could leave the towpath. This means public health and safety can only be protected by closing the towpath. The contractors will do everything in their power to reopen the path as soon as possible.

At the end of this construction period the path will be open to the public with a tarmac surface. In spring 2025 when the weather gets warmer, the team will return to apply the final tar spray and chip finish. The finish will be the same as was installed on the towpath past Salts Mill.

A section of the canal towpath at the western end of the project area also forms part of the Bingley 10 footpath - a walking route with Public Right of Way status. At the aqueduct, the Bingley 10 path turns off the canal towpath, along the River Aire riverside path.

The Public Right of Way section of the towpath is now open to the public. Thank you for your patience while construction works were undertaken.

Funded by Active Travel England, this project will make it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle along the canal.

These improvements complement those carried out near Salts Mill in Saltaire and near Five Rise Locks in Bingley, forming part of the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council’s ambition to improve accessibility on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

The planned works will apply a smooth sealed surface to the towpath and (where possible) widen the usable path.

Both heritage and ecology professionals were involved in the design of the improvement, to ensure that the works preserve the local natural environment and historical character of the area.

Improvements will allow space for a range of people including wheelchair users and pushchairs, who currently face challenges accessing the path. The path will be made accessible for all legitimate users, while still preventing cars from driving on to the towpath.

Route 696 is a combined walking, cycling and wheeling route connecting Keighley, Bingley, Saltaire, and Shipley. It is also known as The Airedale Greenway. It follows the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and forms part of the Aire Valley Towpath between Leeds and Bingley.

The route brings visitors of all kinds to this area of Yorkshire, which is something to be celebrated. We therefore ask for everyone to be considerate of others when using the towpath.

For more information on this route, see:   https://www.sustrans.org.uk/find-a-route-on-the-national-cycle-network/route-696 

Sustrans is leading an England-wide programme to enhance the National Cycle Network, supported by the Department for Transport. The programme - which is delivering over 150 transformative projects to improve over 300km of the Network - is making walking, wheeling and cycling safer and more accessible for everyone.

The programme forms part of our    Paths for Everyone    vision of a UK-wide network of traffic-free paths, connecting cities, towns, and countryside, loved by the communities they serve. By working with the UK government, local authorities, key local stakeholders, volunteers, and communities, we’re turning the vision into reality.

We will update this page with things like exact dates when they are confirmed.

We will also publish key project milestones and events on the canal towpath on social media. Follow @SustransNorth on X (formerly Twitter), and Sustrans North on Facebook.