BBC television promotes the towpaths for coronavirus exercising

Published: Monday, 27 April 2020

BBC Northwest gave the Canal & River Trust a boost to use its towpaths for exercise in direct contravention to the government's advice.

Filmed around Burnley on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal towpath, for BBC Northwest, presenter Greenhalgh was encouraging everyone to use the towpath, with boater Deborah P telling:

300% increase

"There were lots of interviews of smiling folk amazed they had this wonder right on their doorstep.  Footage of a 4ft towpath with bikes passing walkers—he did say they are asking cyclists to slow down a bit as there has been a 300% increase in towpath traffic since the lockdown...

"Seriouslyboaters are being told not to move yetthey must be so very angry and frustrated now."

[Deborah is known to us, a boater of some 15 years who is living alone and took to the waterways to escape but tells us she now feels more threatened than she ever has.]