The blame game

HAVE you noticed that these days stoppages are rarely put down to actual breakages?

All too often the gate/cill has been 'hit', thus covering the inadequacy of lack of maintenance on to boaters mistreatment, that then obviously shifts the fault away from Canal & River Trust.

Neglected Huddersfield Narrow

The latest is yet another stoppage in that very much neglected Huddersfield Narrow Canal with Spring Garden Lock (10E) now out of action with the Trust telling us 'the tailgate cill has been knocked off'.

It has not failed, but has been 'knocked off'.  Once again the Trust is shifting the culpability onto boaters, suggesting they are responsible.  But as Keith Gudgin asked—how do you knock a cill off?

As all regular boaters are aware, the only way that a cill can be hit is if the water level is so low there is not sufficient for the boat to proceed over the cill, meaning of course the onus is on the Trust to make sure there is enough water.