Several months to repair Aire & Calder breach

EVEN though it was 11 weeks since the breach on the Aire & Calder, on the 20th December, work has still not started on its repair.

The only information from Canal & River Trust is that when the it is eventually started 'It will take several months for the repair programme to complete'. Keith Gudgin reports.

Seems to be no urgency

At the moment the trust is more concerned about dewatering the site and carrying out a fish rescue, but even this will not be carried out until next week, as there seems to be no urgency whatsoever, even though this is used as a commercial waterway with all such traffic now halted.

For the future after the fish have been removed the trust will 'conduct our first detailed site investigation with our principal engineer, to assess the damage and decide on the repair programme to be undertaken'.

After three months

Then, eventually, three months after the breach occurred, there is the possibility that repairs will commence.

[This morning we received an email from Malcolm Pedley which read: May I ask what pressures are being brought to bear on CRT to resolve this and other shortfalls within the Aire and Calder area?  To which was answered:

I am not aware of any pressure whatsoever being brought on Canal & River Trust Malcolm regarding the Aire & Calder breach—in fact any of the other breaches.

Ultimately I would expect it would be the government—that has little interest. Tom Crossley.]