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SO IT'S started. The new Government has brought out the hatchet to those money-swallowing Quangos.
That the Inland Waterways Advisory Council was in the first wave to be chopped was no surprise at all. Reading its output, some of which we published, left me with the feeling that it members hadn't much of a clue about the actual working of the waterways as they are today.
Good riddance says I. A bit of cash saved.
And another
Another advisory group is the British Waterways Advisory Forum, with its remit being 'to debate and advise on strategic issues, the BWAF represents all national waterway interest groups. It holds two general meeting a year, attended by senior British Waterway managers'.
In this case, the principle is sound, but perusing the past comments from the various groups, I gather that advice from them on these 'strategic issues' falls rather flat when it comes to BW putting the issues into practice!
Right man for the job?
Then we come to this new 'third sector'. Which to my mind is nothing more than British Waterways muddying the waters in the hope its failures can be obscured, but the powers-that-be are insisting upon two advisers to the BW Board.
For the interim period however there is to be the post with the grand title of 'Observer to the Board', with IWA's Chairman Clive Henderson landing the job.
Having brought the IWA into bed with BW, little wonder he was chosen, and will most likely be eventually upped to the position as adviser. Yet I can think of many that would do a much better job—for boaters.
Quite a few of our very knowledgeable contributors would fit the bill admirably, but can you see BW wanting any of us outspoken lot on its Board? No way José!
I can see it being nothing more that 'yes' men.
What is it really?
Just what is this new scheme? It's been described by BW both as a National Trust for Waterways and The Third Way, and now the IWA are calling it a Civil Society.
Which rather tells that none of 'em know what it is or going to be.
What it's going to be called, if it happens is of little concern. What seems to be the concern of many is that it is not headed by the same senior management that is at present wasting money on the many schemes and property ventures that should be instead invested in the maintenance of its waterways.
Pointless
 All of us who cruise the Erewash Canal know of the hassle of having to work those anti-vandal locks on every paddle, but they no longer keep the vandals at bay, for once again last week the pound between Potters Lock and Green Lock was empty.
So BW had little option but to close off the area whilst 'trying to solve the problem as quickly as possible'.
For of course the vandals can easily open those handcuff type locks. Finding the 'T' key a little awkward to carry, I easily made one using a socket wedged onto a screwdriver, which has the correct dimensions. And I'm not giving out a secret, for I've actually seen kids with them.
So it is about time they were scrapped and the spring loaded type operated by the normal 'sanitary' key was used instead, that are much more of a deterrent.
Then there were three
With stoppages on the Rochdale and a mighty one due for the Leeds & Liverpool, it meant there was only the Huddersfield Narrow over the Pennines that could be relied on.
But from the report in narrowboatworld from the two American boaters of their thwarted attempt at getting across the Pennines by that route, it would seem that all three waterways over—or through—the hills are very doubtful indeed, and only the very foolhardy would attempt any.
What a terrible state of affairs.
Not to blame
After we had published the story about the boat crew being swept off their hire boat by a falling tree, and the lady steerer subsequently dying, there was a rush by the bloggers to blame BW for not felling all those overhanging trees.
Ahh, but wait. The trees on the off-side, and even some on the towpath side are on private property, as was that particular one, meaning that BW had no jurisdiction over it whatsoever.
And we all know the carry-on when BW want to fell a tree even on its own property. Remember the furore at it wanting to cut down the one at Derwent Mouth Lock, even though it was—and still is—damaging the lock wall?
Where is he?
Any of you out there wondering why our Allen Richards isn't commenting on the present problems, it's because he is spending all July skippering the narrowboat Albert.
He is a volunteer helmsman for the Warwickshire Association of Youth Clubs with a special interest in working with disadvantaged children, particularly those with learning difficulties. taking the children on very much appreciated trips around the waterways.
But he will soon be back.
Victor Swift
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