narrowboatworld

Might people consider some detailed analysis of this 'asset' transfer?

The increase in funding must not be directly proportional to personal bonuses at any cost.

Someone at narrowboatworld wonders why British Waterways cannot take a similar procedure to that taken by the Environment Agency in dealing with unlicenced boats.

I'm certainly not finding British Waterways to be very helpful. (A copy of an email sent to Caroline Spelman, Robin Evans and trustees of Canal & River Trust).

How long will it be until we see an army of 'chuggers' for Canal & River Trust alongside all those already in existence for Air Ambulances and local hospices outside our supermarkets?

I am afraid I cannot agree with David Pullen's email concerning British Waterways getting rid of its tools and hiring them instead, but agree wholeheartedly with Pam Pickett that it is not the way to go.

Perhaps it is time for some concerted action to promote the idea I floated a  few months back.

I don't want to rain on the parade, but I just don't see the point of spending over half a million pounds on Staveley Basin on the Chesterfield Canal when it doesn't go anywhere and no boats can use it.

I disagree with Pam Pickett. Hiring in tools from specialist hire companies, especially with increasingly complex and specialist tools that do a wide variety of tasks is clearly the right way to go.

I hope that the more vigilant in the boating community will keep a close eye on the extent to which closures blamed on a lack of water really are justified, and not a means of alleviating pressured budgets.

If we look back over the history of the canal network, too many canals were lost, and then needed restoration, through the mechanism of temporary closures followed by all too rapid deterioration to the point at which it was possible to claim that navigation was no longer possible or cost-effective.

Closure not only saves on wear and tear but also hides the fact that water shortages are made much worse through the lack of maintenance on reservoirs.

Whilst we can all see the effect of inadequate gate maintenance, for example, reservoirs often look okay, even if their depth has been seriously reduced over decades of neglect. I understand that in some cases their effective capacity is but a fraction of its original design.

The lack of an outcry over this year's closures (and it amazes me how quiet everyone has been—this is surely more important than futile Trustee-bashing?) can only tempt British Waterways (and Canal & River Trust) into greater use of closures for budgetary reasons. Back to the days when maintenance stoppages led to no movement for several months of the year?

Mike Todd