Told that paid staff operating Harecastle Tunnel

BEING somewhat alarmed by the news that Harecastle Tunnel is to be staffed by volunteers and on very limited opening, I contacted CaRT to express my concerns, writes Linda Andrews.

I spoke to Simon Martin, who is the Area Operations Manager for the Trent & Mersey, and he assured me that there will be paid staff supervising the tunnel, and they are hoping to restore full opening hours next year, coronavirus permitting. There will be volunteers to assist.

Run by operational teams

The tunnel has been down to three days a week in the winter for quite a few years now, run by the operational teams, and in the summer by seasonal workers.

Maybe it was the laying off of the seasonal workers at the end of the season that has been confused with 'sacking the tunnel keepers'.

[Linda Andrews, Cheshire Cat Narrowboat Holidays.]