Cam Conservators could go bust

THE CAM CONSERVATORS, that manages the river for boating tell they could go bust.

This caused by lack of funds to repair two unsafe locks on the river, Janet Friend reports.

Closed to navigation

The two locks that are at present closed to navigation are Baits Bite Lock, north of Cambridge at Milton, and Jesus Green Lock in the city centre. Image by Tom Jackson.

The conservators need financial help to carry out full reconstructions of both locks that have been closed for repairs over a year ago, effectively trapping some boaters on the stretch of river between the two locks which is just a few miles long.

A project to temporarily stabilise Baits Bite Lock, was started but unfinished, it expected to cost between £1.3m and £1.5m.

Its chief executive, Helen Cleary told a full rebuild was needed at some point on both locks, but the organisation was limited by its funding model, which came from fees paid by boaters on the Cam, explaining:

Walking that tightrope

"We have been walking that tightrope in order to get the Baits Bite Lock open as soon as we can and that's where our financial focus is.

"It's almost unfair that in a wealthy environment such as Cambridge, [boaters] are the people we're solely reliant on for getting an income to resolve these problems."

Ms Cleary has called on other organisations to step in to provide more help.