Peak Forest Canal encounters further problem

BOATERS looking forward to cruising the Peak Forest Canal as work on Lock 7 is nearing completion are going to be disappointed.

For yesterday, Thursday, Canal & River Trust announced that the contractors had encountered additional movement on the offside lock wall and tell that the lock will not be open on the 24th May as was expected, Keith Gudgin reports.

Working overtime

Anchoring measures are to be used to secure the lock wall that will extend the work beyond the initially projected end date of 24th May. It is anticipated the reopening of the lock will now be on the 14th June at the earliest. To achieve this, contractors are working overtime and extended weekend shifts to solve the new problem and  'minimise disruption to boaters'.

The problem was identified last year, with investigation early this year. Following soil investigations and engineering designs, it has been decided to install anchors as being the best solution. These we are told will not protrude into the lock and will secure the wall, and not be a problem to boats.

The trust have considered the risks and decided it would be better to undertake the repairs now rather than there being a further stoppage in the future having to close the navigation again and at even greater cost.

The original failure of the lock was on the 17th August last year and has taken eight months so far.