Towpath Design Guide - Canal & River Trust

case study
4.1 Theoretical Case Study
Disclaimer: Although illustrated on a map base this
case study is purely theoretical and the features
shown on this plan are not real life situations. They
have been shown to raise and explore as many of
the issues discussed in this guidance document as
possible.
The case study is an illustrative example of how a
mutliple, but co-ordinated design aproach may be
appropriate, for example the palette of materials
may be cohesive and consistent in terms of
appearance but the path width or surfacing material
may vary depending on site specific location and
usage issues.
To set the scene the case study is centred on a
canal town with a train station that provides good
linkages to neighbouring towns. The canal connects
the town with neighbouring villages as well as local
visitor attractions. It is used as a commuter route for
people that live in nearby villages and work in the
town as well as people that use the towpath as a
route to the train station to commute to other places
of work. The canal also forms sections of a circular
pedestrian route within the town centre as well
as being part of a longer distance trail. There are
several listed bridges and locks along this section of
canal.
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BW Towpath Design Guidelines
Version 1 - January 2012