Didn't they learn?

I WOULD have thought that CaRT [Canal & River Trust] had learnt its lesson with forums, writes T. Lang.

A couple of forums were held and I was with yourselves and a columnist with Richard Parry attempting a rather laid-back forum leaning on the pub bar, surrounded by his cohorts. But the questions were a little too much for them so the answers were either 'being looked into' or were being swamped with figures, that meant little.

One person was so insistent though that he was threatened with removal if he did not cease.

I do remember a complaint about the stopping of the restoration of the Thames to Severn Waterway, after British Waterways had restored all the northern waterways and the Kennet & Avon, but at the forum it was told that the money was being spent on a breach on the Mon & Brec as an excuse. But the cost of one compared to the other was ridiculous.

The forum did not last very long as those wanting answers, me included, realised they were getting nowhere.

But now the forums are back, but this time they are being rather clever, asking for questions to be sent in beforehand.

All this means is that those that are not so difficult and can be answered will be used and those that are will not. 

And of course there will be questions made up, so an answer can be ready for such as vegetation, wildlife and the like that will be churned-out, and of course something about the lack of money so that the government can be blamed.

And guess who will be missing?