Far less boats

I CAN confirm what your other contributors are saying that there are far less boats moving on the canals as in the past few years, writes James Henry.

We have just had 22 days on the canals taking in the Trent & Mersey, Staffs & Worcs, the BCN and back along the Birmingham & Fazeley, and even though we were cruising all through the Bank Holiday, we too had no hold-ups whatsoever and can confirm that there are now far less boats moving.

Reading Allan Richards' article on boat numbers I can well believe that there are a lot less boats about, and it seems those that have left the canals are the ones that cruised.

Downright lie

The Canal & River Trust stating that there are more boats on the waterways is a downright lie, as everyone I spoke to on the trip confirmed that there were fewer boats than in the past.

I came though Fradley on the Bank Holiday weekend expecting slow progress, but went straight through off the Coventry with no waiting.  And I had no problems whatsoever at visitor moorings, being able to stay at places that would have been impossible after about 3pm in the past.

However there were volunteer lock keepers at Fradley, but they were the only ones we met during the whole of the cruise.