OXFORD canal was closed during an infectious disease outbreak in the early 2000s.
The waterway was shut for navigation and all but essential towpath access as a containment measure during the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001.
Mark Davies, pictured here in early March of that year, lived on a narrowboat moored near Hythe Bridge Street and is the spokesman for the residents association.
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It is unclear if he welcomed the move.
The poster from British Waterways telling locals about the restrictions read: "As a precaution against the spread of foot and mouth disease the towpath and navigation is closed except for essential access until further notice."
The outbreak caused a nationwide crisis in British agriculture and tourism and even delayed the general election by a month.
More than 2,000 cases were recorded in farms and at least 6 million cows and sheep were killed in an attempt to stop the disease spreading.
Public rights of way across land were closed and the crisis was estimated to have cost the United Kingdom around £8 billion.
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