Grand Union summit closed

THE many warning concerning the lack of maintenance and subsequent closure of waterways is becoming a reality, with the closure of the Grand Union Tring summit pound due to leakage.

The official notice from British Waterways is that it will be closed until further notice on Wednesday, and that operating levels will be lowered that will stop all boat movement. However, we have been informed by boaters that the level, through constant leakage is already below that stated.

No moored boats

The immediately affected area is between Lock 39, Startops Reservoir and Lock 49 at Northchurch. Not only will the pounds be closed to through traffic but moored boats too will have to be moved out of the pounds.

To protect the marina and online moorings at Cowroast, a short section will be contained at near normal level by the use of stop planks between Lock 46 and Bridge 136, though the two locks, 39 and 49 will be chained up.

Aylesbury Arm closed

Aylesbury Arm too will be closed to navigation, though possibly open to essential traffic at specified times, to reduce wastage.

We have been told that the summit pound is losing 60 megalitres of water each week. And though the reservoirs capacity is 2,000 megalitres they are only 36% full at present.