Trying to close the Basingstoke?

The two county councils responsible for the upkeep of the Basingstoke Canal have mounted a survey that bodes ill for the future of the waterway.

Planning Solutions Consulting Limited is working with both Surrey and Hampshire County council 'on a project examining future options for the Basingstoke Canal'. (The photograph shows Deepcut dewatered, seemingly its normal situation.)

Survey

This takes the form of a survey with the first question very revealing that asks:

When you visit the Basingstoke Canal how do you usually travel? On foot, Cycle, Car, Bus, Train.

The other questions of the survey relate to how long it takes to get there, how often you visit and how long you spend there.

The omission

Readers will have notice the omission—boats! It refers only to walkers and how they get there and of course cyclists, but not boaters, that of course is the prime reason for the waterway.

So the results of the survey will clearly show there are no recorded visits by boats—which will be handy if you are trying to close the navigation, that is proving rather expensive to two councils that are having to cut services...