Dredging promise broken
THE Canal & River Trust's £750,000 project to dredge the Slough Arm of the Grand Union Canal, which was due to start in a few weeks has been cancelled, writes Allan Richards.
The project was to be the first under CaRT's new £80 million, 10 year dredging programme announced just a few months ago.Blame
CaRT blame breaches, asset failures and other incidents for the cancellation but 'hopes to undertake the work at a later date'.
It also states emergency repairs need to be carried out to prevent failure of a cutting on the arm at Ridgeway Trading Estate. Until these are carried out, at an estimated cost of £500,000, neighbouring properties are at risk.
Confusion
However, confusion has been caused because some local boaters appear to have been told that the dredging project cannot take place due to a leak in the canal in the area.
Certainly, there is some buck passing on Facebook with Anja Nettler, CaRT's Social Media Executive, suggesting that one boater took the matter up with Damian Kemp, Consultation & Communication Manager (no these job titles are not made up!). However, the buck was passed again with Damian Kemp suggesting that he contact local waterways manager, Jon Guest.
£80m over 10 years
So what's going on? On 21st February, CaRT's Operations Director Vince Moran again told the National Users Forum that CaRT's £80m spend on dredging over ten years from 2013 was going ahead '....greater certainty on funding and the Trusts improved risk profile has allowed us to announce an £80m programme over the next 10 years'.
Less than three weeks later, we are told that the first £750,000 project has been cancelled!
Bad Year
The fact of the matter is that CaRT's first year financial performance has been something of a financial disaster, and its expenditure will exceed its income by over six million pounds (although we will have to wait for an annual report to confirm this).
In November, narrowboatworld (Breach appeal stalls 26/11/2012) warned of the threat made by CaRT to reduce maintenance spend this winter should the Dutton Hollow breach appeal fail to produce the £1.5m (now £2.1m) needed. It would appear that public opinion (and perhaps the fact that contracts were already placed) prevented this threat from being carried out.
But now it seems that the threat of reduced spend is being carried out.
Would CaRT like to own up to any other scheduled maintenance that has been cancelled?