Commuters and businesses have condemned the sudden closure of a busy canal towpath.

Workers on the Osney Mead Industrial Estate, off Botley Road, Oxford, claim the decision to close the path past Osney Lock has been made without thought, consultation or explanation and will lead to loss of business.

The towpath, which links Osney Island with the industrial estate, was closed on Monday by the Environment Agency for renovation work and, apart from the rest of this week, will remain closed until March. Furious local county councillor John Power has organised a meeting with the Environment Agency to try to persuade them to open an alternative route. The meeting, to which local people are invited, is tomorrow night at the agency's offices in Bridge Street, Osney, at 7.30pm.

Notices about the work were put up by Oxford City Council on behalf of the Environment Agency on October 20, but these have been condemned as inadequate. Jennifer Brown, landlady of the Waterman's Arms in South Street, said: "We are very worried about it as it is going to cut our lunchtime takings by up to 50 per cent. "Lunchtime can be much busier than evenings - on a typical Friday lunchtime we can get 40 or 50 people in here from the industrial estate. I cannot see us being here next summer if this carries on."

Susanna Pressel, city councillor for West Ward, which includes Osney Island, said: "I am very surprised and disappointed that the Environment Agency did not tell us that they were going to close the path for 12 weeks. I am hopeful they can create a route through their site so that the detour is only a short one." Derek Holmes, who works on the estate, added: "I was amazed to find the towpath closed. It is not as if it will just affect a few walkers along the Thames, it is the main route to and from Osney Mead Industrial Estate for anybody on foot or on a bike.

"It will double the time it takes me to get to work from the station."

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: "The path had to be closed for health and safety implications."

He confirmed that the towpath would be kept open for the rest of the week but would close again on Monday and stay shut until March.

Story date: Wednesday 10 November

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