Now its nine winter works cancelled

Published: Saturday, 27 November 2021

THREE more 'urgent' winter works have been cancelled making it a total of nine so far.

The latest three to get the chop are on the Caldon, South Stratford and another on the Trent & Mersey Canal, Keith Gudgin reports.

Makes a mockery

Nine of the 'urgent' winter works being cancelled makes a mockery of the original list that was so flouted to the Press, that of course quickly took up the 'good work' that Canal & River Trust was doing to keep the waterways in good working condition.

But slowly, time after time come notices that these urgent winter works are being cancelled, starting with four, then a little later two more, then now still another three making it nine in all.

It is not too hard to surmise that more winter works will be cancelled, with boaters and particularly the boat hire people wondering how much winter work will actually be done to ensure the waterways will be maintained enough to ensure journeys can be completed without the now all too familiar stoppages.

The list so far

The list so far of winter works cancelled includes the  Calder & Hebble, Ashton, Huddersfield Narrow, Leeds & Liverpool, Grand Union, Caldon, South Stratford, and two on the Trent & Mersey that will not be getting their much needed winter maintenance.

In all cases the reason given for the cancellations is 'due to the impact of emergency works we have had to cancel the work and remove it from this years winter programme, these works will be rescheduled for a later date'. But on none of the stoppage notices does it reveal what are the 'emergency works'.

Stoppage notices

The stoppage notices state 'Navigation: Closed' and strangely most give the further notice 'Monday 24 January 2022 08:00 until Thursday 25 November 2021 16:00'!  That of course is not possible!