Lancaster Canal running dry

FOR several weeks now the water level of the Lancaster Canal has been falling and despite notification early on, it has now fallen further than the reputation of the Canal & River Trust if that is at all possible, writes Eric Weiss.

Comments on the My Lancaster Canal Facebook page confirm that some boats are sitting in the mud below 13 inches of water at the most northern end of 42 miles of waterway.

Locks closed

Locks to Glasson Dock have been closed and passage to the Ribble have been severely restricted leaving boats stranded at Tarleton and the Link staircase. If such avoidable interruption of service had been experienced by any other Transportation Provider, they would be facing claims for compensation running to thousands of pounds.

In a drought situation this would be understandable but allowing a build-up of weeds and silt at the head-water channel is inexcusable. Pruning weeds is not the same as removing weed any Numpty knows this whether it is a contractor's responsibility or a Trust Maintenance function.

Richard Parry

In Richard Parry's open Facebook exercise I entered the following question:

‘Who should be held accountable for the low water levels, resulting from build-up of vegetation and silt that has resulted in the Lancaster Canal becoming barely navigable and forced the closure of the Ribble Link?'

Richard Parry wrote:

"We have a current problem with weed on the feeder to Lancaster Canal and this is limiting water levels. It is our responsibility and the team is working hard to fix it. To my knowledge the Ribble Link is not closed, however, some passages have been cancelled to protect water levels of the long Lancaster Canal pound, which we regret."

However polite, the question was a little more direct than the answer received; that was a classic example of corporate-speak, but to be fair, I don't see how one man could reply to every (150 plus) random question with any degree of relevance. The answer could only have been provided by the Wigan Office and if the words originated there, they are misleading the boss. Cancelling passage is what happens when the Link is closed.

Steadily growing

As may be seen from this photograph taken this week; the weed has been steadily growing for years no doubt energised by judicious pruning.

It seems that by keeping the new man in the dark accountability will remain a force unknown to CaRT.