On its last legs

Published: Thursday, 23 May 2019

I SEE that already the northern canals are suffering closures, writes Helen Cripps.

Not really into the season yet and there are closures on both the Leeds & Liverpool and Rochdale canals, yet like your good selves I have been boating now for over 20 years, and well remember those old days when this time was the end of the maintenance period for the then British Waterways, and all was in good order and reliable.

What a difference now

What a difference it is now, with the whole system seemingly on its last legs and the season starting with all those restrictions on the locks and swing and lift bridges reported closed to navigation.

Also like your good selves we too have been prevented from cruising by stoppages of one kind or another over the past few years, something as you know just did not happen in the old days.

What utter bilge

But what so annoys me was at Foxton (where I was held up) two years ago, there was a Canal & River Trust tent with volunteers telling all and sundry that the Trust had been brought in to rectify all the problems left by British Waterways. What utter bilge