David: Effects of CaRT Appeal

MY CONTACT in the hire boat business tells me that CaRT's panicky appeal for funds after the winter floods led to a 40% drop in bookings across the industry, which had been going quite well.

However, since the broadcast of the Timothy West/Prunella Scales television programmes, which are an extended commercial for canal boating, business has picked up and is now doing well. Perhaps CaRT should think more carefully of the consequences for other people before they sound off about the dire state of the system, even if it is true.

Still Wet

As we approach the boating season it looks as though the consequences of the wet winter will be with us for some time to come. The Kennet & Avon is still closed between Newbury and Reading because of high water levels and having been to look at it at Newbury and Aldermaston this seems to be entirely justified.

I certainly wouldn't like to be negotiating the river sections in their present state. A few hours of rain closed the Calder & Hebble last week, as it seems that the high ground water levels mean that any fresh rain goes straight into the river.

Shouters

The recent discussion about 'shouters', especially on the K&A, reminded me of my experience last summer. I have never been a devotee of excessive slowing down past moored boats, especially those in long semi-permanent trots, usually inviting complainers to tie up properly. I was therefore rather surprised when cruising from Foxhangers to Bath to be shouted at only once; I have to assume that these moorers are used to it, having been there so long; they certainly don't tie up properly—most of them can't as they are rather uncomfortably inserted into the rampant vegetation.

One day Stoppages Updates

Since I last wrote, the one day stoppage updates these have become considerably more numerous, though confined mainly to the Oxford and Grand Union canals. As I suggested, hire boat operators are concerned about the potential effect of these on their hirers' plans, especially where they are intending a ring.

The Warwickshire Ring, for example, can quite reasonably be done in a week, but if there is a day lost because of one of these stoppages, it becomes a considerable rush. It would be nice if CaRT could tell us whether these stoppages are an attempt to catch up on work delayed by the winter weather and thus exceptional, or a change in policy which is going to be permanent.

Leaking gates

I have received some stoppage notices recently of a type which I do not recall before. CaRT have declared a series of one day stoppages (0830-1630), two on the Leicester Line and two on Braunston Locks, to attend to leaking bottom gates. While this is very laudable—how long has narrowboatworld been going on about leaky gates? I wonder if it is the start of a new policy of carrying out maintenance during the cruising season, as used to be done in commercial days when the ‘season' was all the year round.

If so, I hope that they have notified the hire companies, as a one day stoppage could easily disrupt a carefully planned trip and lead to a late return. I also hope that CaRT are not relying entirely on the internet to distribute the information and are continuing to post warning notices on the notice boards.

Good to see that CaRT still have the money to do this sort of work, even with the big cost of repairing the Mon & Brec again. It really is high time this canal, and the other unconnected ones in Wales, were handed over to the Welsh Government to manage and pay for.

David Hymers