Phase 1B

The Phase 1B restoration section of the Stroudwater Canal runs from Saul Junction, on the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal, to the new Ocean Railway Bridge in Stonehouse – a distance of approximately 6km (3.7 miles).

In 2008, Cotswold Canals Connected was formed to support the restoration of the historic Cotswold Canals. Stroud District Council and Cotswold Canals Trust jointly led the project, working in partnership with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Gloucestershire County Council and the Stroud Valleys Canal Company.

Funding to restore the whole of the Phase 1B section was initially secured in 2020. However, the project subsequently faced two major setbacks: delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and significant inflation across the construction industry. These challenges meant that a further funding bid was required to enable the project to proceed. In November 2025, Cotswold Canals Connected was awarded a further £6.46 million to deliver Phase 1B, helping to move forward the restoration of this historic 6km stretch of the Stroudwater Canal and reconnect it with the national canal network.

The main elements of the restoration include:

Construction of a new railway bridge at Stonehouse (completed in 2022).
Reinstatement of 1.6km of canal and towpath between A38 and John Robinson Lock (‘Missing Mile’).
M5 crossing.
A38 roundabout crossing, including two new road bridges (completed in 2020).
Construction of Oldbury Brook culvert / aqueduct.

Moving utilities (pipes & fibre optic cables etc.).
Reinstatement of three other bridges.
Construction of two new locks.
Construction of a new canal basin near the A38.
Restoration and/or refurbishment of 6 locks.
Re-routing of oil pipeline.

Phase 1B is split into three sections:

Section 1
Ocean Jubilee Bridge to Westfield Bridge

Much had already been completed before funding was secured including a new road bridge (Ocean), two fully (Newtown and Blunder), and two partly, restored (Pike and John Robinson) locks. Ocean Jubilee Bridge was a massive project with the new railway crossing being installed over seven days during the Christmas holidays in 2021.

What are we working on right now?
Our restoration work in Eastington has included the reconstruction of two locks – Dock Lock and John Robinson Lock – as well as the diversion of a small brook and the reinstatement of Oldbury Pound.

Section 2
‘Missing Mile’ – Westfield Bridge to A38

The canal was infilled in the early 1970s when the M5 was built so there has been no restoration on this section, until summer of 2026. After six years of planning, work began in summer 2026 to construct approximately 750 metres of new canal within the ‘Missing Mile’, leading from John Robinson Lock towards the M5. Volunteers are playing a key role in constructing this new section, carrying out excavation and construction work along the route.

At the same time, Stroud District Council is acting as principal contractor, working with a team of specialist contractors to construct the new canal channel through the River Frome beneath the M5.

A roundabout on the A38 had been built on the line of the canal in the early 1970s. Despite work taking place during the height of the Covid-19 crisis, a new channel and two bridges removed this obstacle. The new structures were built by GCC contractors and funded by a £4m Grant from the National Highways Environmental Designated Funds Scheme.

Section 3
A38 – Saul Junction

Though not yet fully underway, a surprising amount of work has been going on. Dredging from the A38 westwards is ongoing as is the upgrade of the towpath to those standards achieved on Phase 1A allowing access for all. A traditional humpback bridge (Occupation Bridge) has been repaired and restored and, thirty years ago, a start was made on Whitminster Lock close to Saul Junction.

Alongside the canal, we’ve worked with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust to create a new wildlife area, with shallow wetlands and ponds designed to boost biodiversity along the canal corridor.

In 2025, following a successful application process, the National Lottery Heritage Fund awarded a match-funded grant, working alongside contributions from the Cotswold Canals Connected partnership. This vital support is helping to drive forward restoration works on Phase 1B of the project.

Thanks to this funding, the partnership is working towards the bold but achievable goal of reopening this stretch by 2029, unlocking the full potential of the canal for leisure, biodiversity, heritage, and local economic growth.