Information for the multi-million feet

SO, THERE we have it, the Macclesfield has now been added to the growing list of canals either closed, or soon to be closed, writes Kevin McNiff.

But hark, to all boaters who are notified of these abandonments, there is the bold statement that 'the towpaths remain open for the enjoyment of locals and visitors'. Bullshit. Not if you read my piece earlier about vegetation along the Oxford Canal north of Braunston.

It is an insult

This information must be for the multi-million feet of those who 'use' our waterways on a daily basis, but are oblivious to the closures to navigation. It is an insult to us, the licence paying fraternity.

This abnormally hot summer comes after months of rainfall and snow during the harshest winter for several years and while various media compare it to the summer of 76, that year was preceded by two years of below average rainfall across the whole of the UK. Even last month, reservoir data for CaRT land was generally well above the average capacity year on year.

Allow water to leak away

But just like the fat cat private water companies who put shareholder dividend above fixing preventable leaks, the incompetents at CaRT still allow millions of gallons of water (sorry, I voted to leave the EU so am reverting to Imperial measures!) to flow through badly fitting lock gates and reduce long pounds to ditches because they have not been dredged for decades.

With so much going wrong, is it any wonder that CaRT are seen to be encouraging the decline of our waterways, yet still seem to agree to even more marina plans like the one near Claydon?