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Undervalued & Overcharged !

Unfortunately, CRT don’t really see us as any kind of asset other than our cash value on a spreadsheet ! We’re just seen as a liability ! They don’t really have a clue about our life on the cut, they don’t really see how we live or what we actually do by way of contributing. They don’t see us when we are acting as ambassadors for the canals, or as unpaid ‘meeters and greeters’, history teachers, tour guides, newbie/hireboat instructors, local information providers and in winter when all the visitors have gone home guess what, we’re still here, who do they think is there clearing all the winter flotsam and crap from locks and around lockgates, sluices and bywashes, we do it because we have to in order to get… Read More »Undervalued & Overcharged !

IWA and other organisations

The IWA and others have been quick to respond to the CRT announcement about increased licence fees and the extra, somewhat unquantifiable, charges for continuous cruisers. NBTA have responded with a call to action but other boating organisations including the RBOA and NABO have not yet expressed an opinion of CRT’s announcement. It’s good to see that the IWA in particular appear to have changed their mind about CRT. They were initially one of the most vociferous supporters, calling for the charitable trust to be given control and responsibility for our waterways in the first place, they even signed a ‘Memorandum Of Understanding’ almost as soon as Mr Parry got his feet under the CRT boardroom table and well before having a chance to actually assess whether the trust was… Read More »IWA and other organisations

Morons in Milton Keynes

The morons in Milton Keynes have done it again !  https://www.narrowboatworld.com/14871-cart-keeps-its-signs-coming I ask you, honestly, when was the last time ANYBODY saw a HORSEBOAT anywhere on the GU ? AND WHY DOES IT NEED ITS OWN PERSONAL SIGN ! CANAL & RIVER TRUST, YOU ARE IDIOTS ! AND YOU ARE STILL WASTING OUR LICENCE FEES ON IDIOTIC CRAP ! IT’S NO WONDER YOU ARE SKINT ! AND YES ! I’M SHOUTING !!!  

Wet Wigan

Trust finally pledges to plug Wigan canal leak that has swamped footpath for years https://www.wigantoday.net/news/environment/trust-finally-pledges-to-plug-wigan-canal-leak-that-has-swamped-footpath-for-years-4352652 After four years of claiming that responsibility for a flooded footpath lay with a local land owner CRT have finally admitted that in fact the  stagnant water flooding the footpath is from the adjacent canal, and is actually CRT’s responsibility. A spokesperson for Canal and River Trust, ignoring the fact of CRT’s denial of responsibility for four years said: “We are grateful this issue has been brought to our attention.” The trust has now promised to carry out repairs, although it is with the caveat “when time and resources allow.” so basically, don’t expect it to happen any time soon ! As usual, CRT are bleating about 250 year old infrastructure and lack of funds… Read More »Wet Wigan

More From Nantwich

Last week while walking the towpath I was rather surprised to see workboats on hire from Rothen Group dredging at bridge 92 and a few days later on friday at bridge 91. Speaking to the crew I was informed that they were dredging specifically in order to free up the two ‘stop gates’ because they were badly silted up and unuseable. It seems that CRT have finally decided that it is time to do something about the towpath side embankment which has been moving ‘sideways’ for several years now. Also along the embankment on friday were a survey crew with a theodolite who were measuring the movement of marker studs placed into the towpath tarmac. They informed me that this is now a fortnightly duty for them and I’m not… Read More »More From Nantwich

Life is better in Nantwich !

Approximately a three quarters of a mile stretch of towpath = 30 blue signs  Now multiply that by 2000 miles of canal and think of how much money they could be wasting ! With thanks to ‘OldSinky’ for sending the photos for this gallery.

Duty of Care

Post contributed via Email from Horatio Hornyblower Canal River Trust has a ‘Duty Of Care’ to the boating community. Unfortunately, it seems to be pursuing some policies and practices which appear to be specifically targeted at the boat dwelling Itinerant Traveller community known as ‘Continuous Cruisers’ as well as affecting the wider boating fraternity. Policies which could well be seen as contravening both the guidelines laid down and possibly the law. According to the information on the NEVO website, “Under common law (sometimes called case law), charities also have a duty of care to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable harm to anyone who has a ‘relationship of proximity’ with them.” and the government’s own guidance for charity trustees clearly states the following specific instances from the duties and responsibilities laid… Read More »Duty of Care

Wellbeing and Mental Health

Mine is suffering, there’s no doubt about it ! The stress and pressure has been increasing over the past few years and it is definitely due to the recent policies and agenda of CRT. I moved onto the canals following some years of stress related illness, primarily depression and over a period of time gradually it improved. Living at a slower pace in a place of tranquil quiet for a number of years slowly allowed me to come to terms with the damage to my mental health and I began to heal. I began to recognise the ‘triggers’ which brought on my depression and was able to manage my life in such a way that I was able to distance myself from them and even avoid them completely sometimes. The… Read More »Wellbeing and Mental Health