ROTTEN timber props at Albert Street Cutting have been removed from Bridgwater and Taunton Canal.

The props, which date from the 1970s, had become rotten over time and provided no critical support. Contractors for the Canal and River Trust have been working on site since Monday, October 25.  

The works are part of a six-week plan to reopen the Albert Street Cutting towpath for public use, with boats able to once again navigate the canal. The timber probs salvaged from the repairs will be recycled into a terraced flower bed on site.

There has been no traffic on the Albert Street stretch of the canal for many years, since boats moored at Bridgwater Marina were told to leave Northgate Docks in 2021. Many barges moved downstream, while others were forced to find a permanent mooring elsewhere in the country.

Ben Carroll, project manager, said: “The Bridgwater & Taunton Canal is a popular place for locals and visitors to spend time, both on and off the water. As well as reopening the towpath and canal, these works will make this stretch a safer and more pleasant place to spend time.”