The Aire & Calder problems

PROBLEMS indeed on the Aire & Calder Navigation.

With eight stoppages to the waterway in the two months of May and June, Keith Gudgin reports.

Nine closures

Plus another yesterday, Thursday, making nine closures, with this time a failure of the pedestal at Woodnook Lock, our being told it is now non-operational.

During May Ferrybridge Flood Lock was broken on the 8th. On the 10th Bulholme Lock was closed, it failing again on the 28th.  Ending the month of Aire & Calder closures with Lock 9 having an electrical fault.

June saw Woodnook Lock out of action again on the 4th, then the Flood Lock out again on the 17th, followed by Lemonroyd Lock (pictured) on the 24th and Lemonroyd Lock yet again on the 27th.

'Repaired' then failed again

What is so peculiar is that many of these closures were 'repaired' only to fail again a little later.

Woodnook Lock failed and then failed again, as did Lemonroyd Lock and as did the Flood Lock. Were they 'bodge jobs' by contractors who knew no better or their wanting a return on a 'cushy number'?

Whatsoever, this method of working is costing the Canal & River Trust an enormous amount of money.