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Tuesday 28 Mar 2006

ANCIENT ROMAN CANAL PROTECTED IN RAILWAY REPAIRS

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One of Britain’s oldest canals – built by the Romans in 120AD – is to be protected during a £650,000 project to repair an adjacent railway embankment on the Spalding to Doncaster railway line. The Fossdyke canal now provides a natural habitat to a wide range of flora and fauna, including Kingfishers. Network Rail has an environmentally friendly solution that will allow the embankment to be repaired while protecting the natural habitat alongside the canal. To reinforce the embankment, stakes will be planted in the canal bed and a special material placed on top to encourage plants to grow on the canal bank. Network Rail’s Area General Manager, Graham Botham, said “Every effort has been made to ensure the work is carried out within environmental guidelines and with regard for the sensitivity that this special area demands. Not only will this work secure the future reliability of the line for rail users in the area, it will not compromise the future of the surrounding natural habitat”. The project will also see the removal of trees and vegetation to reinforce the embankment, which has been scheduled to avoid the bird nesting season in the spring. Work has already started on bringing in material recycled from overhanging trees to reinforce the embankment that has significantly eroded over the years. The work will continue for five and half months. Caroline Killeavy, General Manager for British Waterways, Eastern Region, said “Not only is the Fossdyke the oldest canal in the UK, it is also one of the most important canals in the eastern region, as it connects the Trent at Torksey with the Witham at Lincoln. “We are very pleased with Network Rail’s project to strengthen the railway embankment alongside the Fossdyke, and we will work with them to ensure it is done in a manner sensitive to the needs of the canal and the local area.”