THE Kennet & Avon has been closed at Healthy Close Lock (52) since the 29th May and will be so for at least two more weeks.
So the navigation has been closed for three weeks whilst contractors make up their minds what action to take to repair timber damage, stopping all boating through Wooton Rivers Locks, but now it has been decided to remove the lock gate for repair, that will take another two weeks to complete—five weeks in all!
Timber damage
The contractors maintain it is timber damage at the bottom of Heathy Close Lock, and have at last determined that an off-site repair is required of the lock gate.
It is not told what is the actual damage only that the gate must be transported to the workshop at Stanley Ferry way up on the Aire & Calder.
So Wooton Rivers Lock 51 to Lock 61 will be closed until the gate is transported, repaired, returned and re-fixed.