An innovative canal mooring bollard is being trialled at at pilot site on the Grand Union Canal near Milton Keynes, UK.
The project is a partnership between the Canal & River Trust, MK Canals, Birmingham City University and the Accessible Waterways Association and will gather data and feedback on the difference the new bollard makes to boaters.
The new bollard has been designed to make tying up easier for boaters, especially those with disabilities.
Features include an extra tall design that includes two sets of ‘horns’ not normally present on a standard mooring bollard and high-contrast paint designs to help make the bollards easier to see and use.
“The ways we use canals today are massively different to when they were built … and the people that use them are very different too,” explained Dick Vincent, Canal & River Trust national towpath advisor.
“Our traditional bollards have served us well, but our new bollards make them look like a monocle in a world where everyone can order contact lenses online and have them delivered next day.”
Trial installation
Tim Clarke, director of the Accessible Waterways Association added: “We are really excited about this. At long last, thanks to the financial and installation support of MK Canals, we can now start the first public trials.
“This follows many years of developing the concept with the Canal & River Trust, including an initial trial installation of one prototype bollard in Birmingham.”
The design and installations at Wolverton and Fenny Stratford are the culmination of years of work with MK Canals, the Accessible Waterways Association and Birmingham City University, as well as input from thousands of boaters.
The Canal & River Trust is now asking for feedback from boaters which will allow the design to be fine-tuned.
It is hoped that further installations will be carried out across the UK’s canals.
