More money wasted

A GREAT amount of money has been wasted on erecting booms across the small weirs on the Soar.

All who have cruised the river may be aware of the small weirs on the river, and through there has never been any reports of any accidents, British Waterways has installed three barriers on the river, where none is considered to be needed.

None gone over

These are at the King Power Stadium, Sileby Mill and  Pillings Lock, with the reason given that boats might go over the weirs, even though the weirs are so low it is considered impossible.  In over 200 years none have gone over.

Both boaters and fishermen have criticised the decision to waste money on these booms, especially in view of the financial situation.

£120,000 better spent

​Fishermen are complaining that the £120,000 would have been better spent on clearing the river of Pennywort that is choking the water.

Boater Paul Green, from Blaby, remarked:

"It appears they are solving a problem that doesn't exist and have spent a lot of money doing so. We always hear that British Waterways is short of cash so it seems strange that they are spending money on things that we don't need."

A spokesman for British Waterways, Stephen Hardy, confirmed there had been no reports of any boats ever going over those weirs!