Cut the crap

IN CONGRATULATING Allan Richards for at last discovering a figure for what should be spent each year maintaining the waterways, I was aghast that Canal & River Trust (CaRT) was actually spending much less than is needed, writes Geoff Lines.

Instead it is obviously spending money on other things and thus neglecting its core responsibility—looking after the waterways.

Gone into waterways

Over the years we all must have read about the money wasting schemes, not just of thousands, but millions of pounds, that should have gone on the waterways.

But at last it admits that £130 millions is needed each year just to keep them going—not to improve them mind.  'Yet it blithely tells us it spent only £80 millions last year but will spend less this year'.  Whilst it tells us of all the others things it is spending money on.

Duplicating

What I find particularly annoying, as no doubt do others, is that CaRT spends so much money on things that are very well covered by much better organisations, simply duplicating their work.  I am of course referring to the long established and highly regarded people who look after such as wildlife and the environment, who would surely be only too willing—and more capable—of taking over such responsibilities on the waterways, not only saving money that could then go to its proper use, but stave off the only too often bungling of an organisation that is by all means, often second rate at the job.