An ambitious £50,000 vision to improve access to one of the Black Country’s most beautiful waterways was unveiled today.

Picnic benches could be installed along the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal in Wolverhampton, while three entrance points could be widened, resurfaced and have ramps built to make them more user-friendly.

Information and wildlife boards also feature in the proposals being put together by the Wightwick and Regis Enterprise Network, Tettenhall District Community Council and Wolverhampton Network Consortium.

News of the plans comes just days after a bid to build a multi-million pound visitor centre by the Dudley Canal Trust was announced. The two-storey attraction close to Dudley Canal Tunnel would include classrooms featuring museum artefacts, gift shop and restaurant. Bosses say the project would boost the numbers of the 80,000 visitors who currently enjoy the canal every year.

Imroze Sahota, of Wolverhampton Network Consortium, said today: “The canals here are so beautiful and plenty of people use them, but this is all about trying to encourage even more users to enjoy what’s on offer.”

Entrance points currently being considered for the improvements, which would be funded with a grant from the National Lottery Community Spaces fund, are those at Compton Lock and Wightwick Lock, and off Horden Road in Whitmore Reans. A steering group has been set up to consult with residents, canal users and British Waterways about the proposals before a bid is finalised.