The summer has seen an unprecedented number of stoppages – some caused by lack of water in the reservoirs after four months’ drought, but many others caused by infrastructure failures. In this issue, there are details of stoppages and closures on the Aire & Calder, Ashton, Caldon, Chesterfield, Coventry, Erewash, Grand Union, GU Leicester Line and Aylesbury Arm, Huddersfield Narrow, Kennet & Avon, Lancaster, Leeds & Liverpool, Llangollen, Macclesfield, North Oxford, North Stratford, Peak Forest, Pocklington, Rochdale, Sheffield & South Yorkshire, South Oxford, Stourbridge and Trent & Mersey canals (not to mention problems on the Rivers Severn, Thames, Trent and Witham). In August alone, there were 31 stoppages – one for every day of the month. CRT says it is pumping millions into repair and maintenance work and has released details of the winter works programme to address some of the problems. But clearly, it is not on top of dealing with its infrastructure maintenance and a great deal more – millions more – is required to have a waterway network that is reliably open to cruise year-round. This boils down to policy decisions by CRT on how it spends its funds.
Most boaters understand that, along with anglers and canoeists, they represent a very small proportion of the population that actually pay to use the waterways. Equally, they recognise that their requirements are not top of CRT’s list of priorities. Many would also acknowledge that it is justifiable for CRT to present to the Defra review a wider ‘wellbeing by the water’ picture, which includes millions more people having access to canals and rivers, to demonstrate how the waterways deserve funding by the Government. But without boats, the canals are just ditches that have no greater attraction to the public than local parks or walks in the countryside. CRT would do well to recognise that boaters are an essential part of attracting people to its waterways and, without them, the numbers of visitors will decline. We should find out soon what the Defra review of CRT recommends for future funding, but indications at present are not good. If funding is reduced and CRT is unable to maintain navigation on ALL of its waterways, heads will have to roll – and not just CRT’s senior management, but also the Trustees who have allowed the current situation to develop. I would call on members who have not yet contacted their MPs to write to them and make sure that they are aware of the impending crisis facing the waterways. Ask them to actively support CRT to get a renewed grant that allows the canals to not only survive, but to flourish.

Peter