narrowboatworld

THE ongoing emails from boaters to their MP's on British Waterways' lack  of expenditure on maintenance is causing questions to be raised in the House of Commons, Alan Tilbury tells us.

SINCE Mercia Marina opened just over 18 months ago, it has seen a transformation, and there is the opportunity for both public and boaters to see how it is progressing, with a Mercia Marina Festival and Open Day.

BOTH the Rochdale and Leeds & Liverpool canals are at risk from closure due to water shortage.

CAEN Hill Flight that was closed over a week ago will not be re-opened until Friday 9th July.

HOT on the heels of Ralph Freeman's clash with all male booze cruisers, another boater has had a narrow escape, suffering obscenities from the crew.

OVER 100 gaily decorated boats of every type squeezed themselves into Chester Basin during the weekend (26th and  & 27th  June) for the Inland Waterways Association's (IWA) Tom Rolt Centenary Rally.

WHILST on the northern reaches of the Trent & Mersey I was surprised to find local hire companies hiring boats for short term 'booze cruises'. Further south it seems hire boat bases have learned their lesson and will not hire to same sex crews, particularly for a day or a weekend.

CAEN HILL Flight on the Kennet & Avon Canal will be closed for the next 11 days, caused by a boat damaging lock gates.

IN SUMMER, boats with domed-decklights, could be at risk from fires breaking out in strong sunlight, and will now be checked  as part of the Boat Safety Scheme (BSS), and any charring will result in a fail.

IT WAS just three weeks ago that we included the State of the waterways category in the Gallery, but in that time it has attracted more photographs than any of the other categories that have been there for over a year!

THE latest complaint about the lack of work by the Environment Agency on the River Great Ouse is from a former controller who complains it badly needs maintenance.

THE new Waterways Minister, Richard Benyon, has today (Monday 21st June) issued the statement that he has decided not to proceed with the 'third sector', model for the waterways, but will review the situation following the Spending Review.