I well remember the new Chief Executive Officer Richard Parry when he first arrived on the scene as to me, he was a breath of fresh air, Writes T. Lang.

The first I knew about him he had himself invited on to a narrowboat on the Staffs & Worcs, to be followed by more trips on other waterways, so here I thought was someone who wanted to discover what it was all about.

MeetingMeet the boaters

Then he started his 'meet the boaters' meetings up and down the country, [the picture shows a well attended meeting in Nottingham] where anyone could question him in a relaxed atmosphere, then came his internet 'chats' and he was seen at many events, so I would imagine that many like me thought here is someone who is taking an interest, as he certainly was.

But now there is nothing. No cruising the waterways, no meetings, no chats, 'Gone to Earth!' sums it up. The website the Floater remarked:  'Since CEO, Richard Parry, abruptly broke off communication with boaters some years ago there has been little attempt by CaRT's Customer Service organisation at dialogue with individual boaters'.

So it seems there is no communication with anyone now, so little wonder very little gets done and the canals are in the state they are in.