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Council to install shield after 200-year canal tunnel damage

By Drooid · Oct 30, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

Council will install a protective shield around the damaged 200-year-old canal tunnel.
Volker Highways broke the tunnel’s brick roof on 9 October during A36 road works.
The damage closed the canal’s final mile, stranding narrowboats and prompting boaters to crowd the stretch.
The canal towpath and A36 Beckford Road remain closed, with a one-lane eastbound restriction.
About 1,000 residents have petitioned to reopen Sydney Road as an alternative route.

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Council will install a protective shield around the damaged 200-year-old canal tunnel.
Volker Highways broke the tunnel’s brick roof on 9 October during A36 road works.
The damage closed the canal’s final mile, stranding narrowboats and prompting boaters to crowd the stretch.
The canal towpath and A36 Beckford Road remain closed, with a one-lane eastbound restriction.
About 1,000 residents have petitioned to reopen Sydney Road as an alternative route.