Not a lot of positive news to report for obvious reasons, and all local waterways are very quiet. However, the local waterways are starting to attract walkers once more since the exercise rules were relaxed, but no boating, even if it was allowed, because of canal closures caused by low water levels. Pocklington Canal. Covid-19 […]

I am at Appley Bridge, a suburb of Wigan on the east Lancashire border. There have been signs put up about the limited use of the canal towpath close to me. They have had little effect on towpath footfall as, in my estimation, there is a three- to four-fold increase in its use. A policeman […]

With many boaters safely self-isolating, there is little movement on the canals. It was reported that there were scores of dead fish spotted in the Kennet & Avon in Devizes. The EA said the coronavirus lockdown has resulted in a drop in traffic and activity on the canal, and this has created a series of […]

A very positive meeting at the Crofton Pumping Station was held with Mark Evans, recently appointed as the Waterways Director. I emphasised how pleased NABO was, and indeed most boaters were, that Mark was now in this position, especially as he would be building on his previous excellent work running the K&A & B&T. Mark […]

Both the K&A and the Mon & Brec have seen very welcome and extensive winter work, and on the K&A we were delighted to see that CRT is at last introducing so-called ‘composite’ lock gates – basically steel but with sacrificial wooden components. Both Canal Trusts have been working on these for some five years […]

From Ken Hylins I attended the Regional Forum on November 19th, where the Regional Manager put forward his aims and projections for the coming year. He has been heavily involved in the Toddbrook  Reservoir issue, using up much of his time, and he reiterated that the repair would not come out of CRT’s budget. The […]

From Mike Rodd I met Jon Horsfall, the interim CRT Director in Wales & South West, on 2nd October in Gloucester. Jon was appointed to take over from Richard Thomas, who left suddenly in July. The meeting proved to be a most useful, frank exchange of views and resulted in an agreement to continue to […]

Howard Anguish attended the Yorkshire & NE Local Waterway Forum on 23rd October, held at Fearns Wharf, Leeds.   National Issues: The introduction was given by Regional Director, Sean McGinley, who talked us through the Regional Structure Update, which included a map showing boundaries, together with an organogram showing role allocations within the region. Two […]

North West David Fletcher at CRT’s North West forum   I attended the forum in May at Anderton, being the second of two meetings for the region. The NW is a big area, from Kendal in the North, Audlem in the South, western halves of the Pennine routes and bits of the Llangollen in the […]