Shropshire canals to go online with Google

Shropshire's historic rivers and canals are to be included on a new hi-tech mapping service designed by experts at Google.

In its latest project, the team behind Google Maps has started plotting the UK's towpaths to get more people enjoying the country's rivers and canals.

Google Maps will be updated this year to allow users to plan trips which include locks, bridges and towpaths along the 2,000 miles of river paths in the UK.

Among routes to be listed will be the historic Shropshire Union Canal, which runs through the north of the county and had its first sections built in the late 18th century.

Mappers will also look at the Llangollen Canal, which passes by Whitchurch and Ellesmere

It is taking part in the initiative with the new Canal and River Trust, which is to become the guardian of the nation's canals and riverbanks from next month.

The trust has also linked up with the People's Postcode Lottery and the Co-operative Bank ahead of its launch.

Tony Hales, chairman of the Canal and River Trust, said: "We are delighted that these exciting partners have come on board as we launch.

"This is a huge vote of confidence in the Canal and River Trust and recognition of the important role it will play as the guardian of one of the nation's environmental treasures. We're looking forward to announcing some of the exciting initiatives we are planning together later in the year."

The mapping scheme will see Google's experts carrying out the task of highlighting access points, bridges, locks and tunnels.

It will mean users of Google Maps will be able to plan journeys that include canal and river towpaths as well as roads, in a move to designed to improve access to traffic-free routes through our towns and cities for walkers and cyclists.

Ed Parsons, geospatial technologist at Google UK, said: "Canal towpaths offer green routes through our towns and cities and by working with the Canal and River Trust we're adding towpaths to Google Maps and encouraging people to discover their local waterway."

By Chris Burn