Canal towpaths are flat, scenic and often close to town centres, which makes them attractive for a scooter outing. They were built for horses rather than visitors, however, and access varies from wide resurfaced paths to narrow stretches with steps and gates. This guide summarises what the Canal & River Trust, which looks after canals and rivers in England and Wales, says about mobility aids on its towpaths, its accessibility map and its towpath code. It covers Trust-managed waterways in England and Wales only; canals in Scotland and Northern Ireland are outside its scope. This is general information, not a guarantee that a particular path suits a particular scooter.
What the Trust’s towpath code says about mobility aids
The Trust’s Towpath Code, last edited on its website on 25 March 2026, is a short list of rules for sharing towpaths. It says that wheelchairs, mobility aids, cycles and legal e-bikes are allowed, while e-scooters, motorbikes, modified e-bikes and other unauthorised vehicles are not. The code also says that pedestrians have priority, that cyclists must slow down for others and that people should take extra care when passing people, pets and wildlife.
In its longer policy document, Towpaths for Everyone (January 2024), the Trust says that motorised vehicles are excluded from towpaths except mobility aids, risk-assessed operational vehicles and places where a towpath forms part of a legitimate vehicle access route. The document describes the Trust’s network as covering more than 2,000 miles of waterways in England and Wales.
Why access can still be difficult
The policy is frank about the limits. It says most towpaths are over 200 years old, were designed for a horse to pull a boat and were mostly never intended to be publicly accessible. It acknowledges that access can therefore be challenging for visitors using a wheelchair, pushing a pram or with mobility issues, and says the Trust would like to change that wherever it can. Where good access has not been provided, or where other obligations prevent it, the Trust says it will do its best to inform visitors of restrictions through its website or on-site signage.
The policy also says the Trust has in the past installed barriers and chicanes, that these can restrict legitimate access for some people, and that it intends to review them through its health and safety, environmental, heritage and equality impact assessments, aiming to remove them wherever possible. New barriers, it says, will only be installed if no other practicable solution can be found.
Width and surface
The Trust says it has widened the surfaced path in many places, but that it is not possible or appropriate to set a minimum standard for path width because every canal has its own character shaped by its original design. In practice, width can change sharply between one stretch and the next. On surfaces, the Trust says it has no one-size-fits-all approach. It often selects finishes with some tactile feedback, such as fine crushed stone bound to tarmac, and it aims to remove ruts and potholes because they cause trip hazards and puddling. The policy gives examples of improved sections, including 2.5km of the Kennet & Avon Canal between Aldermaston Wharf and Sulhamstead, upgraded in 2023 with a newly surfaced towpath 2.2 metres wide.
Pavement and path width guidance for scooters more generally is covered in the site’s article on how wide a pavement should be.
Using the accessibility map
The Trust publishes an online accessibility map, last edited on its website on 1 July 2026, showing towpath surface, gradient and access points. The page says users must zoom fully in to see all the information. Its key sets out the categories a scooter user should check before setting out:
- Access points: shown as a ramp, steps, a fixed gate (kissing gates or similar, possibly restricting wheelchairs or pushchairs), open access, a movable gate or a locked gate;
- Access paths: the routes from access points to the towpath, which the Trust says are often variable in condition and not all owned by it;
- High accessibility towpath: a stretch with a solid or paved surface over 1 metre wide and in good condition;
- Gradient: shown most often next to locks or over bridges; and
- Bridges and locks: marked separately on the map.
The map’s definition of high accessibility uses a width of over 1 metre, which is a screening measure rather than a guarantee that a wide Class 3 scooter will turn or pass others comfortably. Checking the scooter’s own width against the route, and planning an in-and-out route where a turn is uncertain, is sensible.
Sharing the path safely
Because the code gives pedestrians priority and asks other users to slow down, a scooter user travelling at walking pace fits the spirit of the guidance. The Trust says towpaths are not roads and should never be seen as fast routes. For the wider rules of the road and pavement, including speed limits for Class 2 and Class 3 scooters, see the guide to mobility scooters and the Highway Code. The Trust also says it aims to keep signage to a minimum, so not every hazard will be signed.
Frequently asked questions
Are mobility scooters allowed on canal towpaths? The Trust’s Towpath Code says wheelchairs and mobility aids are allowed on the towpaths it manages in England and Wales, while e-scooters are not.
Does the Trust guarantee a minimum path width? No. Its policy says it is not possible or appropriate to set a minimum width for all towpaths.
How can I find out whether an entrance has steps or gates? The Trust’s accessibility map shows access points as ramps, steps, fixed gates, open access, movable gates or locked gates.
The bottom line
The Canal & River Trust welcomes mobility aids on its towpaths in England and Wales but says many were never designed for wheelchairs or scooters, and it sets no minimum width. Use the accessibility map to check entrances, surfaces and gradients before travelling, give pedestrians priority and choose stretches marked as highly accessible.
Sources
- Canal & River Trust, "Our towpath code" (canalrivertrust.org.uk)
- Canal & River Trust, "Accessibility map" (canalrivertrust.org.uk)
- Canal & River Trust, "Towpaths for Everyone: Our policy for designing and managing towpaths as shared spaces" (January 2024) (canalrivertrust.org.uk)