Today's canal opening cancelled as contractors unsuccessful

WHILST Canal & River Trust told of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal reopening today, it has been let down by the contractors.

The trust tells that 'the contractors have been unsuccessful in stopping the leakage from the canal to the affected culvert', Keith Gudgin reports, the trust adding:

Keep the navigation closed

"Due significant risk posed to the canal integrity and the safety of our customers we have taken the decision to keep navigation closed over the Christmas period between Barrowford Bottom Lock 51 and Foulridge Tunnel East Portal.

"Our contractors will be working to ensure the dams, over pumping and water management remain in place and are maintained throughout the Christmas period this will prevent the leakage causing further damage."

Another failure

So once again the contractors fail to complete work as promised, that had already taken them 11 weeks and now it's an 'update by Friday 5th January'—making it 13 weeks to repair a culvert, and not even certain then.

This has to be a record for the time taken for such a repair!