Victor reckons funding isn't looking too good for CaRT

THERE is little doubt that's Allan Richards analysis of how the government is dragging its feet over CaRT's funding is looking bad for the trust.

With £60 million in jeopardy it looks very bad indeed, and it looks as thought that 'bombardment' by the trust of its figures of billions of people benefiting from the waterways—and saving the NHS £1.1 billion—has not washed.

Neither it seems has the fervent appeal to parliament by CaRT's boss man.

As Allan discovered, we are promised an announcement...

So it's seemingly a matter of waiting—and hoping. 

Black Friday indeed

Last Friday was Black Friday indeed for the Rochdale Canal, it suffering three stoppages on that one day!

Surely yet another new record showing the poor state of our waterways making it five failures for the Rochdale already this month, leaving me to wonder how many boaters are actually brave enough to risk that waterway any more—that cost £25 millions to restore 20 years ago, and has obviously slowly deteriorated ever since.

The first stoppage was announced  in the morning with the failure of Lock 19 a keyhole had been vandalised, and yes, 'ey-up... t'vandals are back'! They get the blame again.

Then in the early afternoon it was reported that damage had been caused to the gate of Lock 82, but this time vandals escaped blame, but the repair would take over the weekend.

Then the 'team'—not contractors, you will notice—discovered later that afternoon that whilst repairing Lock 82, the next lock had a gate out of position, then after examining Lock 83 (pictured) found a gate had come out of its pin.

So this also could hardly be put on vandals, but alas, will not be attended to until Monday.

But three locks out of order in one day on one canal, is certainly not to be proud off. But one bit of good news—Lock 82 was back in working order the same day.

Beyond ridiculous

A statement on the Canal & River Trust website would have us believe:

'Record numbers of people have made a trip to the nation’s canals and rivers this summer. During August, 5.4 million people visited a canal or river over our busiest fortnight, breaking previous visitor records as people took advantage of the good weather to come down to the waterside'.

So for that fortnight 5.4 millions divided by the 2,000 miles of waterways means that on average 2,700 people visited every mile of waterway during that fortnight which amounts to 385 for every mile for every day!

Let's take the tidal Trent as one of its rivers as the worst example of 44 miles from Cromwell to Keadby (that we have cruised four times and hardly noticed any visitors on that wild countryside towpath with only one town) that must have—wait for it—385 multiplied by 44 miles—21,340 visitors a day, according to CaRT's reckoning!

That's 296,760 for that fortnight. From our own experiences—all in decent summer weather—760 would be pushing it!

Or the popular 66 miles of the 'Shroppie', that by CaRT's reckoning of the 385 multiplied by the 66 miles it has 25,410 visitors a day!

Bearing in mind the state of the Shroppie towpath in its many cuttings (one pictured) that obviously see few visitors.

Most of us will know these 'statistics' are all about trying to impress those with the purse to get funding, but you really can go too far, and for any reasonable thinking person surely this is—much too far.

With the obvious risk they just won't believe it...

Victor Swift