THERE ARE NOW TWO MORE Winter Works cancelled.
In addition to the two already cancelled this month, Keith Gudgin reports.
One on the Kennet & Avon Canal and another on the Staffs & Worcs Canal.
Kennet & Avon Canal
On the Kennet & Avon it is Heales Lock 93 at Midgham, where owing to the ongoing storms and persistently high water levels in the area, the trust's team has been unable to access the lock to carry out the planned gate replacement.
As the Intensive Maintenance period is now coming to an end, there is no longer sufficient time to complete these works, so as a result, the gate replacement will be deferred from this year’s programme.
But essential repairs to improve the gates will be undertaken as soon as conditions allow and can be completed without requiring a stoppage.
Staffs & Worcs Canal
The planned navigation closure on the Staffs & Worcs Canal has now been removed, this was to deal with the leakage on Botterham Lock (pictured).
The planned navigation closure has now been removed. Following further investigations on site, it was determined that the proposed repair would not fully resolve the leakage issue.
It has been decided to defer the work to the next winter works programme, the trust adding that 'once a suitable methodology has been developed to ensure the repair can be carried out to the required standard'.
Others
The other winter works cancelled on the 6th of this month were on the Grand Union Canal at North Grove Lock 71 and on the Mon & Brec at Lock 66.
The reason for the two cancellation of these works was 'due to an emergency increase in scope elsewhere on the network'.