LOOKING at the Canal & River Trust's contractors' Kier, website, it would appear that building is its main concern, living accommodation, shops and the like and even motorways, writes James Henry.
Though according to Victor it wasn't too good with the latter, it 'delivering'—a word it likes to often use—it over a year late causing a great deal of aggravation to drivers suffering the long lasting reduced speed delay.
Does anyone know?
Which all raises the question, where is the connection between such a company and the work needed on the waterways? Does it have anyone who knows about hanging lock gates and adjusting them? Pre CaRT, British Waterways had its specialist team(s), that alas has now long gone, and we are left with house and motorway builders to look after this very specialised concern, which is perhaps why there are now so many failures.
The question now is how did they miss a further hole?
I noticed that CaRT did not give any explanation why the hole that caused a further 'leak' after the repair of the first 'leak' was not noticed when the canal was drained. Surely a new 'leak' could not happen in the space of a week, there must have been some clue that all was not well. I am sure that if the old dedicated British Waterways team had been in charge it would have seen the possibility of a further problem.
Is it saving money?
But it was not the dedicated British Waterways team but CaRT's contractors that very obviously did not know what to look for. Is it really saving money by calling on contractors if and when needed, if they are not capable? And there was the other 'leak' on the top of the Trent & Mersey Canal that failed as the new repair was not properly connected to the original canal bank.
What seems to be overlooked is the real problems all this causes to boaters unable to complete their journeys, and must be a nightmare for the hire companies.