Rowing Club resposible for removing safety grab bars

THE Lea Rowing Club admits it was responsible for removing the four safety grab bars off the piling on the Lea & Stort!.

The club has admitted it was responsible for the dangerous act of cutting off the safety grab bars from the piling (it was not ladders as first reported) putting people's lives at risk, Giles Williams reports.

'We removed four bars'

The Lea Rowing Club's Press Release admitted—'Last week, we removed four bars used for mooring from the wall of the quay adjacent to our Club. We regret that we had not sought formal permission of the Canal and River Trust before doing so. We apologise for this unilateral act on our part and are fully co-operating with the Canal and River Trust in their investigation'.

The Canal & River Trust told that it expected the damage to be repaired in it's Press Release—'The Trust is aware that four grab bars to aid boater safety were deliberately removed from a section of bank on the Lee last week. This puts water users at risk by removing an aid to help people exit the water in an emergency.
We are investigating this matter urgently and will expect that the damage done to Trust property is repaired or rectified as soon as possible at no cost to the Trust'.

It appears there are ill feelings between the club and boaters on that part of the navigation, with the grab bars being used for mooring near the club, that it resents as it affects 'their' water.