Pontoons for Canal Towpaths

The UK’s canal network has in excess of 2,000 miles of towpaths and over 3,000 bridges crossing the waterways; whether rail, road, pedestrian or even aqueducts. Floating Pontoon Hire has been involved in multiple restoration and maintenance projects keeping this significant infrastructure operational.

Repairs and inspections

Working on bridges crossing canals and rivers often requires most of the work to be undertaken on the abutment of the bridge alongside towpaths. Repairs such as replacing brickwork and repointing cannot take place whilst members of the public are using the existing path, as a result footpaths must be closed for the duration of such works. Without a solution this impacts on the many thousands who use these footpaths for commuting and recreation.

Floating diversions

Thankfully our pontoons offer the perfect solution providing a temporary towpath diversion for pedestrians and cyclists. We supply and install floating walkways allowing pedestrians to bypass closed sections of the existing towpath, minimising disruption and keeping them out of harm’s way of any works being undertaken.

Safe and secure

All installations are supplied with edge protection, whether it be stanchions and handrails or Combisafe barriers. Our pontoons can also be supplied with any number of attachments making them the perfect solution, whether it be access ramps, solar powered lighting, buoys and fenders to protect from craft. The pontoon itself is nonslip but there is the option to deck the pontoon with wooden panels to improve aesthetics.

Working pontoons

As well as pedestrian access the pontoons can allow site access and be used as the working platform itself. The pontoons can take significant loading - up to 350kg per square metre, or nearly double in stacked configuration. We work on 175kg per square metre as our suggested safe loading capacity.

Scaffold towers

The pontoon is a perfectly stable platform and will happily accommodate scaffold towers, which can be secured to the actual pontoon. Coverings are available which allow hot work to take place.

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