Find out about the future of the Kennet & Avon Canal

A long term plan for improving the 200-year old canal is being launched this week by the Kennet & Avon Waterway Partnership – a voluntary group made up of leading local figures - highlighting the enormous opportunities the waterway offers to boost tourism, education and leisure opportunities within the region.

The Partnership works for the benefit of the people and businesses that use and enjoy the Kennet & Avon Canal, which runs from Reading to Bristol, as well as the Bridgwater & Taunton Canal in Somerset. The Partnership’s vision for the future includes:

• Getting local communities more actively involved in helping to maintain their local waterway through youth projects and adoption schemes
• Working with councils, local businesses, boaters and other users to maximise the contribution that canals and rivers can make to local economies and tourism at key locations
• Promoting the canals as a free gym that can benefit people’s health, by improving towpath routes and links between key destinations.

The Partnership is holding its annual general meeting on Wednesday, 12 November at Bath Cricket Club (BA2 4EX), between 7-8.30pm.

Tamsin Phipps, chair of the Partnership, said: “The Kennet & Avon continues to be hugely popular and provides a host of leisure, tourism and education opportunities in the communities it runs through. That said, we still think it has so much un-tapped potential. The aim of our 10-year strategy is to outline how, working with local people, the canal can help bring more prosperity and enjoyment to local areas. I would encourage people to read our strategy and come to our meeting, which is a great chance to find out about our ambitions and have your say on our plans.”

Find out more about the work of the Kennet & Avon Waterway Partnership