Comment—Where is CaRT going?

THE two most recent stories in narrowboatworld, concern the male genitalia shaped map of Berkhamsted and the wildlife 'islands' in the Grand Union Canal, both rather showing where the interests of the Trust seem to lie—in promoting visitors and wildlife.

This is something that is becoming more and more apparent as more and more money is poured into promoting both, most obviously to the detriment of the waterways themselves, as it of course leaves less money available for their upkeep.

Wildlife people

CaRT now has specialist wildlife people on its books, no doubt supplied with assistants and secretaries, and as to promoting visitors, the expense is legion.

Yet, as often told, neither create a single penny to its income, though both have their own many organisations, so why must the Trust keep spending money on such things, money that is so badly needed  for the upkeep of the waterways? In case it has forgotten, for which it is responsible.

The new Chief Executive, Richard Parry, has been in charge for over a year, so must surely now have a grasp of the workings of the waterways, particularly after so many meetings with boaters and visits to boating events. The picture shows him visiting boaters at Tinsley Marina.

Fletcher years

I well remember the 'Fletcher years', when Dr. David Fletcher was the Chief Executive of the then British Waterways—a narrowboat owner to boot.  And I well remember our first cruises on the waterways, seeing so many of the then green-shirted BW staff, all the flights operated by lock keepers and every mile under the jurisdiction of a lengthsman.

And come the winter the system was virtually closed down as all the staff took to maintenance, staff that knew exactly what they were doing, not the 'that'll do' ethos of today's contractors.  Then came the Spring, and everything was ready and working as it should.

And the wildlife was in the hands of the many associations devoted to it, and visitors visited if they wanted—and from my own experience I believe there are now no more people on the towpaths than then, notwithstanding all the silly efforts to promote the canals as a 'visitor experience'.

Robin Evans

Then came Chief Executive Robin Evans, who moved all the different areas and many office locations, not once, but twice, leaving a discontented workforce in its wake, and losing his best people in the process. But what he will really be remembered for is giving the waterways the death knell, from which it will never recover, of dispensing with the most important people of all—the lengthsmen.

Now we have yet another Chief Executive, whose idea of running the waterways is to form a committee/trustees of a vast array of non-waterway people—we all know there isn't a single independent boater amongst them. All of course with their own agendas, and too many of them with no waterways interest whatsoever.

So where is CaRT going? Eventually he will go, but what will he leave in his wake?  It is not looking too good.

Tom Crossley