Wales and the South West

Wales and the South West On 20th October, I attended the CRT Wales User Forum, with six other users and three CRT folk, but unfortunately the Regional Director, Mark Evans, was down with another dose of Covid! Most of the meeting was taken up with long presentations about all the wonderful things CRT and others […]

Anderton update

Anderton update     Work on the hydraulic cylinders of the Anderton Boat Lift will start in mid-November. The caissons will be detached from the hydraulic rams and propped up to allow the 20-year-old cylinder seals to be replaced. The ceramic rams will be re-polished and 12,000 litres of hydraulic oil will be changed. The […]

Welfare report

Welfare report Ken Hylins summarises his work for NABO over the last year. This year has been a busy one for me: I have been contacted for help on several occasions, be it for advice or to actually get involved to resolve boaters’ issues and concerns. There has been a common theme to all of […]

So it’s goodbye from me and …..

So it’s goodbye from me and ….. After 12 years Peter Fellows hands on the baton of editorship. Another varied set of articles to end the year, with Helen Hutt describing her trip to the Medway on the 75-year old paddle steamer, Waverley, and my article on the unbelievable attitude of a local council towards […]

Meeting of the APPGW

Meeting of the APPGW Anne Husar listened in to a presentation to MPs from Richard Parry. A few observations of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Waterways’ meeting in October: there were no MPs taking part in the Zoom meeting, apart from the Chair, Michael Fabricant. One participant, Sir Robert Atkins, therefore regarded the whole […]

TMBA Thames Boaters Survey 2022

The TMBA Non Tidal Thames Motor Boaters Survey 2022 is now online – http://www.tmba.org.uk/machform/view.php?id=19138 All Motor Boaters based on, or visiting, the Environment Agency managed non tidal Thames during 2022 are invited to participate in this survey which will remain open until 31st December. Summary results will be published on the TMBA website in January […]

CRT say canals are open for boating! Read the detail!

This is CRT’s statement. Following the temporary reopening of canals over the October half term (PR attached), I’m pleased to say that these canals are now open for boating until further notice (excluding any planned winter works). Additionally, the restrictions on the Grand Union and Oxford canals at Watford, Foxton and Braunston are being lifted […]

Public Authorities and the Public

Public Authorities and the Public Paul Monahan tries to analyse what’s wrong with CRT. I have frequent contact with several public bodies, notably the local council, the EA (flood relief, not navigation) and of course CRT. If I believed in reincarnation, I would think that I must have done something dreadful in a past life! […]