Over a five year period there have been improvements to the Nottingham Beeston Canal towpath. In these areas, pedestrian counters and towpath surveys confirm increased levels of activity for both recreational purposes and as a route to work. The access along the canal corridor connects to retail, commercial and residential properties. Levels of use near Meadow Lane had not increased to the same level as other parts of the canal. This may be due to the towpath ended upstream of Meadow Lane, a location which had a low level of residential and retail presence.

Further work was planned with Nottingham waterside regeneration partners and including British Waterways interests for the wider development and regeneration of the waterfront from Meadow Lane to Trent Basin (downstream of Meadow Lane Lock). Once the existing semi derelict industrial area is regenerated there will be a connection between these developments and the new towpath.

The parties involved in the project were:

• Nottingham City Council
• British Waterways
• Morrison Construction Plc.
• Intermarine
• John Short General Engineering, Worksop
• Environment Agency
• East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA)

The options for improving accessibility around Meadow Lane were limited, but this project focused on providing a connection to the Trent Embankment. This has created a link via the towpath to other pedestrian and cycle routes, including connection to the Meadows area which has a substantial residential population.

The project involved making improvements to the hard and soft landscaping around Trent Lock, a destination site at the confluence of the Erewash Canal and River Trent. The lock is located within a highly visible part of Nottingham situated opposite Nottingham Forest Football Ground.

It also created new access for Meadow Lane lock and and improved access to Barton Lane, a site which adjoins Attenborough Nature Reserve, a major visitor attraction with paths leading to the River Trent. The largest element of the project is Meadow Lane link to the Trent Embankment. The cycleway was opened 6 November 2009 and EMDA attended at an event which was well publicised and well received by the funders. It also improved public access from Nottingham to Stoke Lock.The overall cost of the project was £2 million.

Achievements

• Improvement of 2km of access along the River Trent between Nottingham and Stoke Lock. This involved removal of un-necessary walling that prevented access and use of the elevated walkway.
• Replacement fixed Meadow Lock river visitor moorings with rise and fall pontoons.
• Removal of old concrete and steel footbridge, replacement of Lock footbridge with wider, cantilevered footbridge compliant with DDA requirements.
• Provided new access paths around the Meadow Lane Lock replacing the majority of steps which currently exist.
• Replace existing poor quality amenity building with a modern building with facilities appropriate for today’s boater expectations.
• Refurbish Lockside surface.
• Access improvements to the destination site at Trent Lock.

THE EMDA required the use of CEEQUAL on the project. This was a pre-requisite for providing funding contributions to the project.

Throughout design and construction, the environmental performance of the scheme was a high priority. Environmental aspects of the scheme were included in the site management plan and all parties were encouraged to bring forward ideas for environmental improvements throughout the project. Monitoring environmental performance was a formal agenda item for progress meetings throughout the deliver of the scheme and the CEEQUAL Assessor was involved at an early stage to ensure that the project enjoyed the maximum benefit of using the Award Scheme. The CEEQUAL Assessors offered advice on areas such as ‘Ecology’ that have been taken forwards into other contracts.

The project scored highly on a number of sections:

• Relations with the local community and other stakeholders scored highly. Nottingham Waterside Limited undertook a consultation on behalf of the scheme partners, contacting all neighbours and users of the waterway. Once contact was made, stakeholders and interested parties’ views were incorporated and addressed in the design and they were kept well informed throughout the design and construction phases of the project.
• The scheme was designed and built to ensure that archaeological and cultural heritage was conserved. During the works, an original Nottingham City Boundary post was uncovered, restored and relocated nearby. Original mooring bollards, which were not suitable for reuse, were re-sited within the newly created public open space adjacent to the new public seating area.
• Landscaping works opened up the space adjacent to the river increasing visibility of the waterside, improving accessibility from Meadow Lane lock and the city centre by removing derelict walls and allowing safer access to and from the water.