Edgbaston Tunnel closed for narrowing survey

Published: Friday, 17 November 2017

Edgbaston Tunnel on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal is at present temporarily closed to carry out a survey for its narrowing.

As was reported early this year in narrowboatworld Egbaston tunnel is being narrowed to enable its towpath to be widened as it is considered as not being wide enough for the number of pedestrians and cyclists that use it on a daily basis, mostly students from the nearby campus.

Egbaston Tunnel2No longer be able to pass

Contructed as a broad tunnel, two boats can pass, but by widening the towpath and reducing the width of the actual waterway, this will no longer be possible after the £10 millions programme, funded by Birmingham City Council.

Though there have been objections from boating groups to the proposed narrowing of the waterway, it is only a short tunnel so it should prove of little problem to boaters, many of whom already wait upon seeing another boat approaching to save possible contact in the tunnel.

Canal & River Trust maintain that the daily usage of the tunnel is 600 pedestrians, 300 cyclists and 25 boats.