BW misleading the coroner

IT IS not true that British Waterways tree management policy is 'thorough and robust' as told by the Waterways Minister, Richard Benyon.

It was the result of Milton Keynes Coroner's findings that failings exist in its tree management systems that could lead to future deaths, that caused British Waterways to refute this statement, and the subsequent 'thorough and robust' claim as reported by our Allan Richards.

Prevent further deaths

The coroner, Tom Osborne, issued a 'rule 43' report suggesting actions to be taken by British Waterways to prevent further deaths, that prompted the denial.

However, Simon Grindrod, mooring warden at Camden visitor moorings on the Regents Canal, the former owner of Myark Tree Care, that undertook tree work for British Waterways, often reported dangerous trees, yet no action was taken, telling us:

Dangerous trees fallen

"I have reported dead, dying or dangerous trees on my mooring on repeated occasions. Since reporting them (repeatedly) two have fallen. One onto a boat the other, a mature but very dead ash tree fell length wise along the towpath. Both trees had very visible signs of decay. even if having no leaves didn't give it away.

"The end result of either of these trees falling could have been death or injury. It would seem that the only tree work now undertaken is reactive maintenance which is not only expensive but very dangerous.

"We still have dead trees on the mooring which is very close to Camden Lock, the public and boaters are still in danger on what must be one of the busiest bits of towpath in the country. do we need a death or a sunk boat to actually make British Waterway take note of the state of its tree stock?"

Four fallen trees

The team leader who was in charge of clearing the dangerous tree (pictured) that fell just a few yards from our moored boat on the Staffs & Worcs Canal, told us that it was 'the fourth one we had moved that day'.  Hardly conducive of a 'thorough and robust tree management policy', when a high wind took out four trees in one area of one canal in a single day.

The advice to boaters is never moor under trees—they are obviously not always safe, and  could put lives at risk.