Too much rubbish

I EXPECT that now that Canal & River Trust has allowed for more boats to visit Liverpool Docks at the end of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, many will be taking up the offer, writes Joseph Forde.

Four of us, having five weeks at our disposal, took took a narrowboat into the docks travelling the entire length of the canal, and with decent weather at our disposal had a fairly good time, a good crew making the lock gates a doddle, though I could see a crew of just two finding it a bit hard with some of the heavy lock gates and stiff paddles.

Spoilt by rubbish

Anyway, it was all spoilt by too much rubbish, especially in the towns and getting towards Liverpool with the sides of the canal in many places resembling a rubbish dump, as the picture shows.

It wasn't just on the sides of the canal that was often strewn by rubbish but the canal too, with a picture of a lock we passed through in Blackburn showing it was just used as a rubbish dump.

No respect

Talking to others we met on the journey the rubbish was a regular thing, and they told us that as quickly as it was cleaned up more appeared to replace it, which leaves me to believe that there must be people along the canal that have no respect for their environment and it is a pity the authorities don't make an effort to catch them and prosecute, then cruising to the Liverpool Link would be more enjoyable for all.

With the recent posts about visitor numbers, I have to agree that Canal & River Trust have it very wrong about the vast numbers on the towpaths, we saw nowhere near the numbers it claims.