Victor: Will CaRT now waken up?

Published: Sunday, 23 June 2019

THERE is little doubt that pedestrians sharing the narrow towpaths with cyclists causes injuries, as we have often reported.

But after the case that cost a cyclist over £100,000 for being involved in a collision with a pedestrian, will it at last waken up CaRT to the dangers?

judith norris You may remember our Thomas had a 'set-to' with CaRT's boss man Richard Parry about doing nothing about the use of many towpaths for time trials, where cyclists use a stretch of towpath to constantly attempt to better their speeds, with often 40mph being reached.

And with so many towpaths officially designated cycleways, it can no longer escape with the 'private path' excuse, for being so designated, these towpaths then become public highways, and thus subjected to their laws.

You can bet that some sharp solicitor acting under the 'no win no fee' system will see a chance of attacking CaRT for its lack of control over its dangerous towpaths to get its client (and itself) more damages.

The photograph shows Judith Norris who was knocked to the ground and put in hospital by a speeding cyclist on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal as was June Fairham on the same waterway. Perhaps they too should have gone to a 'no win no fee' solicitor, for the results could have been dramatic not only for the cyclists but perhaps CaRT too.

RSPCA want to ban angling

There is a group of radical animal rights campaigners within the RSPCA that are influencing it to outlaw angling, using the reason that  angling is having a detrimental effect on wildlife.

At recent policy committee meetings vice-chairman Jane Tredgett and her cohorts on the ruling council have pressed the charity against angling, that however moderate RSPCA trustees have so far successfully opposed.

CuttersOne of the reasons given is that anglers leaving their detritus such as bait, lines and such is detrimental to wildlife.

As to lines being left in the water, like many other boaters time and time again we have had to remove fishing lines from the prop shaft, even obtaining a cutter (shown) especially for the job of cutting the strong nylon lines.

And most of us have seen ducks and swans with lines around their bodies, so those people do have a point.

More 'cartisms'

I'm afraid that 'Cartisms' from the stoppage notices are still coming fast and furious, with the latest two well up to standard.

Last week one told us that there was a stoppage between locks 28E and 29E on the Huddersfield Broad Canal and there was a stoppage on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Handcocks Swing Bridge, that I reckon should have been Hancocks.

I wonder what Freud would have made of that?

Fingers crossed

Our Thomas has four friends that have this weekend come 3,500 miles from Bermuda for a couple of weeks on a narrowboat hire around the Cheshire Ring.

Telling them of the state of the waterways under the present regime and the number of stoppages, they are obviously somewhat worried about being able to complete their cruise.

Anyway Thomas is looking out for them, having our Keith keeping an eye on any stoppages that could affect their journey, so here's hoping they manage a good holiday with fingers crossed—especially with both Marple and Bosley flights in their path.

Victor Swift