The reason the Figure of Three Locks will take a year to repair

THERE has been controversy why the repair to the Figure of Three Locks on the Calder & Hebble Navigation should take a year to repair.

Perhaps these photographs supplied by Canal & River Trust will go a long way to explain.

Storm Ciara struck

It was at the end of February when Storm Ciara struck, with the sheer deluge of water from the Calder ripping away parts of the two locks that form the Figure of Three on the Calder & Hebble Navigation.

The damage clearly seen in the photographs can quite easily take the 12 months to  repair as the Trust foresaw.

Washed away

It was not only the locks that suffered, but the waterway itself being washed away with much of it being dumped in the locks themselves.

  These two photographs show the damage caused by the flood, with a bank completely obliterated.

Design a programme of works

The initial estimates are that it may take up to a period of 12 months, with teams working to fully assess the damage caused and to design a programme of works to bring the locks back into operation.

No boats to see ladies.

Closed for the foreseeable future

So there is little doubt that the Figure of Three locks will be closed for the foreseeable future.

But alas, another casualty of the storm and resulting flood.