Getting in a pickle

YOUR contributors seem to be getting in a pickle regarding how up to date the stoppage map in Open Canal Map is, writes Neil Quarmby.

The website picture is just an example. The live data can be accessed on an Android phone or tablet by downloading the app from the Google Play store.

Updated daily

It's actually a very good canal map.  It is updated daily so it includes, for example, the closure on the Peak Forest Canal due to a pollution incident that was published at 5pm last night.  Users may notice that a stoppage notice may be shown as many as three times for the one stoppage.

I think this is because it is shown at the stoppage location but also at upstream and downstream winding locations. In the case of the pollution incident there are two notices, one on each of the bridges bounding the affected section.

I hadn't actually used the app before T Lang’s article but find it useful, especially since the winter stoppages are no longer available in an A4 map form from CaRT.  Used alongside the stoppage alerts it is invaluable for those of us cruising at this time of year.