Work still not started on K&A breach repair
Published: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
IT WAS way back in October that the Kennet & Avon Canal was brought to an halt at Reading.
There had been a 'bank failure'—another name for a breach—with the canal water flowing into the river and emptying the one and half mile pound, as Keith Gudgin reported, and Justin Sheldon's photograph shows.Boats trapped
This has trapped many boats either wanting to access the Kennet & Avon Canal or the Thames, and though we were told by Canal & River Trust that its engineers were 'currently assessing the viability of all options and designing a repair in order to get the navigation open as soon as possible' the actual work on the breach has not yet started.
Its latest update tells that the navigation is still closed though a causeway across the river has been built, with the now standard message that 'the team continue to work seven days a week to pile the breach in order to stem the flow of water'.
Working for 38 days
The same message has been told on all but the first update, which means the contractors have been working for 38 days with just a causeway to show for it.
But we are told the works continue to run to schedule and the 'good' news is that it is hoped the closure of the breach will be 'within the first 10 days of December'—whatever that means.