Three locks closed on the Ashton!

THIS summer is certainly a summer of records for Canal & River Trust with eight stoppages in seven days, three in one day and now to top it all three locks closed on the short Ashton Canal in one day!

And it is broken paddles closing all three locks today (Friday)—1, 5 and 9—on the waterway, with the whole canal closed from Lock 1 to Lock 18, Keith Gudgin tells us.

Maximise navigation opportunities

The Trust tells us that 'these works are required as part of the Trust's ongoing planned maintenance and repair programme. We have tried to keep these stoppages to a minimum of time and maximise navigation opportunities where possible'.

In the middle of the August school holidays?

Shocking condition

Boaters tell us the paddles on the Ashton Canal are in a shocking condition and should have been attended to during the planned maintenance in winter. So now the canal and thus the Cheshire Ring is again closed.

Keith believes that the Trust's 'ongoing planned maintenance and repair programme' doesn't seem to be working very well does it?