Blocked Forty Foot

Published: Wednesday, 07 April 2010

BOATERS who cruise the Middle Level are protesting against the Environment Agency for its refusal to clear a small length of the Forty Foot to allow access to and from the Old Bedford River, Alan Tilbury tells us.

The photograph shows Welches Dam Lock, that the Agency have sealed off  allowing the length of the Forty Foot to become little more than a weed bed, and totally impassible. Boaters have demonstrated their frustration by blocking the Old Bedford River by the lock.

The boaters want the Environment Agency to clear out the waterway and repair the lock, but are told that it does not have the money for such maintenance, explaining:

"We have priorities and we have to target the money we've got at the most used waterways. We recognise people do want to use the waterway but at the moment we don't have the funds available."

But Alastair Chambers, of the campaign tells us that the boaters have  run out of patience with the Environment Agency, as the lock has been closed for four years, shutting off a vital link to the system, explaining:

"The protest proved our point that it is completely impossible to get through. We've been fighting this for four years and no one seems to be willing to put the lock back into working order."