WITH Banbury in the news perhaps I can take the opportunity to voice my thoughts, writes Arnold Plains.
It was last September that we at last managed to cruise down and back along the Oxford Canal, staying at Banbury both ways in view of its excellent shopping facilities just off the canal.
Needs dredging
Alas, the rest of the journey was spoilt by our somewhat deep draughted boat hitting bottom time and time again, and other people telling us that the canal needs dredging badly in places, of which I can confirm, even in Banbury you can see the sunken boat is on the bottom that is certainly not very far from the top!
The other thing, that has been voiced in your columns, are the overhanging trees, which proved something of a menace especially when having to pass another boat, with our losing things off the roof time and time again, that prompts me to ask is any work being done to make the Oxford Canal any better for boats or has it been discarded?
Very disappointed indeed
I may add that though a boat owner for many years we tend to use it more of a getaway from the city than taking it on the canals, this being our fist time of any distance for quite a while, but very disappointed indeed.
From what your correspondents say it would seem this is not an isolated occurrence but prone to many canals.