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Poop-scoop bins ensure tidy towpaths

14th Dec 2003

Britain's canal towpaths are set to get a whole lot cleaner with the installation of a thousand new dog waste bins.

The bins are to be installed this winter by British Waterways, the authority that runs most of the country's canals and many rivers. It says cracking down on dog litter is one of its main priorities for 2004."

"Over 10 million people visit our waterways each year -by boat, on foot, on bikes, for fishing or to exercise their dogs," explained BW's Stewart Sim. "We welcome responsible dog owners to our towpaths, but dog mess is consistently one of our biggest customer complaints. So we've identified the most popular and problematic access points across our network to install dog bins, providing an important facility for our customers with dogs and helping to keep the waterways special for all."

Working with specialists JRB Enterprises, over the next three months British Waterways staff will be contacting their local authorities to arrange waste collection programmes and subsequently install the bins.

The bins are already proving a success in Stockport and Manchester, where they were installed in 2001. Heather Rowley, from British Waterways' local office, said she had received many positive comments from local people.

"The units have proved very popular, and we have noticed a distinct improvement in the trial areas. British Waterways and local councils have received extremely positive feedback from towpath visitors about the scheme calling for the dog bins to be installed in other areas."

Last updated: 22/10/2008