'Dangerous' Oxford towpath gets new lease of life

A key stretch of canal towpath in Oxford has been resurfaced to allow cyclists and walkers to get around the city safely as part of a £158,000 project.

The stretch between Walton Well Road and Aristotle Lane to the north of the city was branded ‘rocky and a danger’ prior to the work, according to the Oxford Mail.

Funded by Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council and the Canal and River Trust, the path has been re-laid with fresh tarmac, which councillors hope will allow people to ‘enjoy the tranquility’ of the area.

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Andy Chivers, of city cycling group Cyclox, told the Mail: “Cyclox is delighted that this important mixed use route has been resurfaced.

“The canal is a great place for families to cycle and enables lovely quiet off-road routes.”

“We recognise that the canal towpath has a lot of walkers as well, so we anticipate cyclists will need to keep to modest speeds and would encourage commuters to use the Kingston Road alternative.”

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Stuart Clarke is a News Associates trained journalist who has worked for the likes of the British Olympic Associate, British Rowing and the England and Wales Cricket Board, and of course Cycling Weekly. His work at Cycling Weekly has focused upon professional racing, following the World Tour races and its characters.