The problems that unreliable stoppage notices cause to boaters

I have travelled off the Llangollen Canal, Shropshire Union Canal onto the Staffs & Worcs Canal, writes Amy Dickerson.

I have covered this in the past 16 days. I have met many people who have helped me through locks including three non-boaters at two  different locks who offered to close the bottom gates of the locks for me. I was planning on getting on the Severn whilst the weather is good heading to Gloucester.

Erroneus stoppage notices

On 16/03/2025 I received a stoppage notice that Bevere Lock was closed because of a structural failure. Since then I have received two notices saying that all locks on the Severn are open from 8am to 6pm. I assumed, wrongly, that Bevere Lock was open.

Luckily I phoned Gloucester Lock to be told that I would have to divert onto the Droitwich Canals and the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. There are a number of problems with doing this for me:

1. I am single-handed with a health condition. I have a permanent heart arrhythmia and am not confident I can manage the number of locks involved on this detour. Mooring on the Droitwich Canals is virtually impossible.

2. I am uncertain about getting under the motorway on the Droitwich Canals. There is a height restriction.

3. I know there are two locks on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal that have no lock landing moorings. The towpath is paved with no mooring bollards making it impossible to tie my boat up.

4. I know I cannot open the paddles on the Diglis Locks. I don’t have the strength to operate them. I used to get the lock keeper to lock me up and down them. There is no lock keeper there these days.

Forced to stay there

Just another example of the poor quality of CRT boating emails. I have decided to sit it out above Kidderminster until I need water or supplies. Then I will go to Stourport and be forced to stay there until it is safe to travel on the river.

Amy Dickerson
Nb Black Bryony