It's just an excuse

OTHERS have commented on the lack of vandals on the canals these days, to which I agree, writes Helen Cripps.

I too well remember the 'Bandits' page of this site many years back when kids had little more to do, especially over the long August holidays, but to cause havoc on the waterways, but was obviously stopped as vandalism became less and less.

A thing of the past

And we all know why—the increase in games for the PC's of the day, then with the take-up of tablets and mobile phones, like other boaters relate, vandalism on the waterways is now a thing of the past, no matter what Canal & River Trust want us to believe in its very flawed report that you have published.

Like yourselves on your cruises, I have not seen anyone remotely like a vandal for many years, and in fact teenagers on the towpaths are fast becoming an endangered species, so it is obvious Canal & River Trust is using them as an excuse for its failures to keep the infrastructure working.   I believe we all saw this in the case of the stoppage of a swing bridge, as it again jumped on the 'vandalism' excuse, then was made to look silly when it was discovered a vehicle had accidently clouted the arm!