Itchen Way footpath closed at Shawford for improvements
3 August 2009
The Itchen Navigation Heritage Trail Project is starting bank engineering works in the Shawford area, 4km south of Winchester. The wildlife and heritage conservation project is being run by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and supported by a partnership of organisations. Contractors are working on site from Shawford Road up to Compton Lock. The Itchen Way footpath is closed along this 1km stretch for health and safety reasons while works are being carried out.
Alternative walking routes are available and a diversion route past the Bridge Pub is signposted on site. A map of the footpath closure and other local footpaths can be found on the project website: http://www.itchennavigation.org.uk/ Works are expected to be completed and the footpath re-opened by the end of August.
Contractors will be tackling erosion problems, greening up the banks of the Itchen Navigation and improving the footpath surface. The works will ensure this popular walking route continues to be useable in the future. It will also improve the Itchen Navigation as a place for wildlife. There will be more plants along the edge of the bank, which not only protect the bank from erosion, but also provide a home for wildlife. Bankside plants provide food for water voles, nectar for butterflies and a home for dragonflies and other insects.
Ali Morse, Project Manager, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust said, "We are delighted to be starting our the next section of engineering works on the Itchen Navigation, after completing works at Allbrook earlier in April this year. After works have been finished at Shawford, the river habitat will be of a better quality for wildlife and local walkers will enjoy a better quality footpath".
Later this year, the project will be undertaking similar improvements at Brambridge and at Winchester. Works will focus on using engineering methods which are wildlife friendly to repair the banks and enhance the river habitat.
As well as stabilising and restoring the Itchen Navigation riverbanks, the project will provide better information for visitors to the Navigation including waymarking, informative leaflets and interpretation boards so that visitors can identify the many wildlife species and historic industrial structures around them.
Notes to Editors
The project is a partnership between Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Environment Agency, Hampshire County Council, Winchester City Council, Eastleigh Borough Council, Southampton City Council, Natural England and the Inland Waterways Association. Major stakeholders include fishing clubs, landowners and local communities.
Trained volunteers will also be carrying out preservation work on some of the historic structures along the Navigation to interpret and celebrate the industrial history of the waterway. Habitat enhancement will also be carried out by volunteers, and water voles, otters, southern damselfly and a variety of fish including brown trout, are expected to flourish due to conservation along the Navigation.
