A £50,000 dredging operation is about to get underway as the Canal & River Trust makes it easier for boaters to visit Stratford upon Avon.
The charity, which cares for 2,000 miles of waterways in England and Wales, is getting ready to dredge sections of Bancroft Basin making it easier for visiting boats to moor up and explore the town.
According to the Canal & River Trust, the two week operation will see a floating digger pull up around 700 tonnes of mud and silt which has built up on the bed of the basin over a number of years. The dredged material will be loaded into a floating skip known as a ‘hopper’ and taken away.
Paul Fox from the Canal & River Trust , said: “ Stratford upon Avon is a popular destination for boaters and this dredging will ensure that Bancroft Basin is a welcoming place for people to stop off and explore the town. ”
Before the dredging begins the Trust will temporarily remove a pedestrian footbridge enabling the basin’s popular Baguette Barge to go off for important maintenance.
The footbridge will be lifted out of position by a crane enabling the barge to cruise to a nearby boatyard.