Beware of that beam

Published: Friday, 01 June 2012

THOUGH British Waterways have promised to raise the dangerous steel beam at Falling Sands Lock on the Staffs & Worcs Canal, boaters are still complaining of its danger.

I am moving along the Staff & Worcs Canal, and I would like someone to ask for the Risk Assessment on the awful work that has been carried out on this canal, writes Amy Dickerson on Nb Black Bryony.

Been headless

At Falling Sands Lock the grey bar is not very visible. I had to kneel on the floor of my boat whilst entering the lock, else I would have been headless. Kidderminster Lock is a mass of scaffolding. Can't wait for Botterham Staircase Lock. Just hope they have left enough room to walk across the bridge.

Given the dangerous work. Why has British Waterways left this canal open in a dangerous and potentially lethal state given its over the top reaction to the death at Stourport? Could the answer be that boaters' safety is of no concern. Another question—how long is it to be before this work is eventually made safe. Maybe it will appear in the Winter Works Programme.

Idiots jumping locks

The way things are going if there are any more deaths from idiots jumping the width of narrow locks, it is likely British Waterways will fill them in and grass over all narrow locks.

I used to think that canals were for boating—but I am not so sure these days.