Lincolnshire engineering firm UCS Civils has begun work on the Spa Trail from Woodhall Spa to Horncastle in Lincolnshire following a £224,911 contract award by Lincolnshire County Council. 

Work on the eight-week Waterways XII Spa Trail project, jointly funded by the council and the East Midlands Development Agency, started at the end of September and is due for completion on 13th November 2009.

UCS Civils is upgrading the trail, which runs along a former railway track bed, by laying a new limestone footpath with a recycled base to make it suitable for pedestrians, cyclists, horse riders and those with mobility difficulties. 

Work at the site will also create new parking bays and improve access to the pathway at the Sandy Lane entrance in Woodhall Spa and at the Thornton Lodge Farm opening in Horncastle.

UCS Civils Contract Manager Jamie Crosby said: "The existing footpath is in a poor condition and is liable to flooding, making it unsuitable for wheelchairs, buggies and even mountain bikes in some places. We are scheduled to finish developing the trail in mid-November and hope everyone will then be able to start enjoying and using it on a regular basis."

This initial work is phase one of the Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership's long-term plans to connect the Spa Trail to the Water Rail Way at Kirkstead Bridge. The Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership is made up of Lincolnshire County Council, British Waterways and the Environment Agency. 

Local residents are being kept informed of developments to the project and of any closures to the trail through signs and letters. 

Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership Project Manager Andrew Jee said: "We have worked closely with local residents over the past two years on this project through consultations and will continue to keep them updated on its progress. 

"The trail is along the disused railway track and is level and traffic free, making it very accessible and safe for a wide range of users. 

"The route has naturalised since railway maintenance ceased making it attractive to wildlife but prone to flooding. It can become quite inaccessible to the more vulnerable user groups, particularly through the winter months.

"We aim to improve the surface through the work UCS Civils is carrying out, opening it up all year round to a wider audience from walkers and horse riders to families and those with mobility issues. At the same time we have endeavoured to consider the environment, ensuring the pathways are not overly wide and do not adversely interfere with the local wildlife."