Winter maintenance announced

THE winter maintenance programme has been announced by Canal & River Trust, with it states, £50 millions to be spent.

This will be spent on both maintenance and conservation works, with the authority asking for boaters to give feedback on the plans, but only on its scheduling it is stated. At present it is only in draft form.

Replacing lock gates

This draft schedule includes 140 lock gate replacements, bridge refurbishments and repairs to embankments. This year some of the most notable projects include repairs to the Sutton Weaver Swing Bridge on the River Weaver, dredging along the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal and repairing the locks on the Tardebigge Lock Flight, the longest flight of locks on the canal network. The bulk of the work is expected to take place between 1st November 2013 and 31st March 2014.

The work on the Weaver swing bridge will be very welcome, as there has been a constant fight over many years to have it restored, (No CART cash for Weaver bridge) headed by Tom Reynolds.

Causes disruption

Because major canal repairs and conversion work causes disruption to those out cruising, boaters are being invited to comment on the scheduling of the programme so that improvements can be made ahead of a further draft plan being published and a finalised programme agreed later this summer.

Vince Moran, Operations Director and Acting Chief Executive for the CaRT explains:

"We are currently in the middle of the main boating season, something that is only possible because of the maintenance works that are carried out during the winter months. There is a huge amount of work we want to do again this coming winter, to ensure the canals continue to operate smoothly for boaters.

"This needs to be planned early to make sure we are doing the right projects at the right time, and that's why we want boaters who live, work and cruise on the waterways to comment on this and tell us whether or not we've got our plans right."

Online

Boaters are asked to go online and have a look at the plans and feedback any comments by this Friday, 7th June 2013. Those comments will then be reviewed so that improvements can be made to the scheduling of the programme.

As previously there will be open days across the system where the public can see such as empty locks and talk to the people who are repairing them.