Someone having a laugh

I DID not know whether to laugh or cry at the latest statement from Canal & River Trust, writes Helen Cripps.

Someone at CaRT must have a great sense of humour to actually state with, what is it—12 stoppages? that 'the overall condition of the Trust’s waterways continued to improve year-on-year with core spending on waterway infrastructure, maintenance and repairs'!

Suffer from lack of inspection

All long standing boaters know that since British Waterways dispensed with the lengthmen and then Canal & River Trust dispensed with the lock keepers the infrastructure would suffer from lack of inspection, and so it has proved.

What is it at the moment? Three culverts causing stoppages on the Leeds & Liverpool, Wyrley & Essington and Grand Union canals, all obviously being allowed to get in a state of collapse with no regular inspection. A couple of breaches, distorting locks and many lock gates in dire need of replacement and we are told that 'the overall condition of the Trust’s waterways continued to improve year-on-year'.

One lock not leaking

And the leaking gates. I remember Victor remarking last September that he was surprised to see that one lock on a flight was not leaking!  Most locks do. But CaRT if course blames lack of rainfall, never its lack of gate maintenance causing water leakage, for 'maintenance continues to improve year-on-year', doesn't it?

Is this so-called charity allowed to make such untrue statements? If that isn't 'Fake News' I don't know what is.