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New blood to replace old friends
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- Category: NN Editorials
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Editor, Peter Fellows, says that, with meetings held by phone or Zoom, it has never been easier to support NABO.
This is the first issue since lockdown ended and it features the widespread dismay by boaters at the state of the infrastructure that they encountered when they restarted cruising. Lack of maintenance and vegetation management were already features of the Boater Survey responses, summarised in this issue, which were given before Covid-19 struck. But Mark Tizard brings the problems up to date, comparing CRT’s PR spin with the reality on the ground. Mike Rodd’s regional report includes his first experience of e-scooters on the towpath and I’ve included a letter on this, written by NABO to CRT’s Chief Operating Officer. Helen Hutt has written her first regional report from the Avon and also reports on a recent elected reps. meeting with CRT’s Head of Boating. Howard Anguish, NABO’s shared ownership rep., has written the first part of an article on shared boating, together with his look back at NABO News 15 years ago. David Fletcher has also been busy while unable to cruise, describing new regulations on fuels for solid-fuel stoves, an update on proposed changes to regulations on the sale of red diesel, and delving into the mysteries of gas testing on boats for BSS certification. I spent part of my lockdown considering what owners might be really saying when they select a name for their boat, to be followed by a second part in December.
Hammersmith Bridge closed to navigation.
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- Category: EA and others
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In August, the foot and cycle access over the bridge was closed after the summer heat wave made cracks in the cast iron supports deteriorate. Because the risk is of sudden collapse, all navigation on the Thames is closed under the bridge as well. The 133-year-old cast iron suspension bridge in west London was closed to motorists in April last year after the faults were detected.
Hammersmith Bridge is an early design of suspension bridge that crosses the River Thames in west London. It links Barnes on the south side of the river to Hammersmith on the north side. It is mostly used by residents on the south side to access London, and there is no direct alternative.
A Government task force has been launched to co-ordinate the bridge rebuild which will take many years and cost around £150m. The owners are Hammersmith and Fulham Council who obviously don’t have that sort of money. Ongoing investigations have been paid for by Transport for London. Proposals for quick fix for residents include a passenger ferry, or temporary foot and cycle bridge.
None of this helps navigation. So for us there are no Pool of London Passages for the foreseeable future, and no cruise boats operating from Hampton Court to central London. And there will be no University Boat races either.
Toddbrook rebuild latest
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- Category: Canal and River Trust
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The Canal and River Trust have made known details of their alternative overflow solutions to the dam construction. It was the overflow ‘spillway’ feature that failed during heavy weather in 2019. The proposals would restore the dam face to grassy slope with overflow provided in new channels to the River Goyt.
A consultation process has started on two alternative locations for the overflow. One option would be to build a new spillway to the left of the damaged dam wall which would pass through part of the Whaley Bridge Sailing Club car park. This could have an impact on the sailing club's launch slipway but the Trust - which leases land to the club - said it would make "suitable alternative arrangements".
The other option proposed would be to build a spillway through woodland to the right of the old overflow, which would go through the town's war memorial park. In a letter to residents, the trust said it would "treat this area with due sensitivity and importance".
A decision will be made in the autumn. Work will not begin until 2021, is due to be finished in 2023 and set to cost more than £10m.
You can read about is here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-54064795
North East, Yorkshire & Humberside
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- Category: NABO Regional Reports
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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 restrictions have meant that the Pocklington Canal Amenity Society (PCAS) has suffered a big setback in its fundraising efforts this year, with all of the planned events unfortunately having to be cancelled. It was expected that by this time PCAS should have started the major restoration work at Sandhill Lock, the next obstacle to seeing the canal fully navigable to Canal Head, but this is also on hold until the pandemic situation eases. The society has also had to cancel all this season’s ‘New Horizons’ trip-boat activities from Melbourne—a very popular attraction for visitors to the canal and a major regular contribution to fundraising.