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CaRT raging success or dismal failure?


Midnight

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The Whaley Bridge incident has launched CaRT into the public eye and national media and they will no doubt come under scrutiny from high places, but in the end will they be judged a success  or failure?


From their Articles of Association
The Trust’s objects are:
2.1 to preserve, protect, operate and manage Inland Waterways for public benefit:
   2.1.1 for navigation;

   2.1.2 for walking on towpaths;

   2.1.3 for recreation or other leisure-time pursuits of the public in the interest of their health and social welfare;

Thinking about the navigation I guess a lot of us here would say they are a dismal failure. In my opinion the waterways have never been so unreliable and in such poor condition.
But boating apart they seem to have made a success of walking and cycling on towpaths - albeit the lycra speedway brigade may prove the opposite in the long term.

And likewise for recreation, health and social welfare with picnic areas, statues, lock poetry, well-being campaign etc.

 

Their record on maintenance will no doubt be highlighted by any scrutiny committee in the aftermath of Whaley Bridge and do I wonder if another organisation will be handed control of reservoirs. With only 3 years to go before the government funding runs out there's little prospect of becoming self-sufficient so it's unlikely all things maintenance will improve.

 

I wonder in the aftermath will CaRT survive or will there be big changes to the way the waterways are managed.

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Its always struck me that its not the done thing on here to criticise CRT , I dont know how that is but we all certainly can form our own Opinions . Personally I think its been a mixed bag at best and like many others I wonder what will happen when the Government Funding runs out .

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59 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Can't say I noticed much difference from BW days, apart from a tightening up of overstaying rules and less maintenance due to budget cuts. It's just a managed decline. 

Sadly, I agree with the latter part of your post.

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20 minutes ago, Chewbacka said:

As this is a boaters forum, I do feel the title is ‘leading the witness’...........

 

But then most boaters don’t need much leading to see what is sadly very obvious.

 

I agree. Their standout success is obvious. Certainly down south anyway. Blatant piss-taking long term CMers have all but disappeared. 

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1 hour ago, matty40s said:

I think the biggest success was managing to re-brand a whole organisation (as and when it wears out or needs replacing ) in about 2 months.

All the way from Skipton to Bingley there are nice new blue CRT signposts for the benefit of walkers and cyclists, both of who usually know where they are going.

Edited by pearley
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4 minutes ago, churchward said:

You have never boated on the canals in the 1970s if you think the waterways have never been more unreliable or poor condition. It was a high order of magnitude worse then. I don't suppose you remember the collapse of Blissworth tunnel meaning the Grand union was cut in two for a few years in the 1980s?

 

Your statement is not even close to being true.

I agree with the 60's & 70's being worse. I remember when the Bridgewater canal breached in 1970, and was closed for about two years. It was only due to a lot of pressure from boaters that it ever got repaired.

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16 minutes ago, churchward said:

You have never boated on the canals in the 1970s if you think the waterways have never been more unreliable or poor condition. It was a high order of magnitude worse then. I don't suppose you remember the collapse of Blissworth tunnel meaning the Grand union was cut in two for a few years in the 1980s?

 

Your statement is not even close to being true.

The improvements from the 70’s till CRT took over was ALL under BW.  The op question asked if things have got better or worse SINCE the take over by CRT.

 

Personally I feel CRT has reduced preventive maintenance and is moving to a fix on failure.  Fix on failure can save money, but can also cost a lot if there is a breach or collapse etc.  A high risk strategy.

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1 hour ago, churchward said:

You have never boated on the canals in the 1970s if you think the waterways have never been more unreliable or poor condition. It was a high order of magnitude worse then. I don't suppose you remember the collapse of Blissworth tunnel meaning the Grand union was cut in two for a few years in the 1980s?

 

Your statement is not even close to being true.

Close enough for me but you miss the point!

True I never started boating until the 80's but even so it's not just about maintenance. I asked for opinions on how CaRT will be generally regarded by the powers that be in the aftermath of the Whaley Bridge incident.

 

From a boaters point of view - mine in particular - the system has seriously declined to the point where fellow forum members talk about selling up and many like me worry when setting out on holiday if we will get back.

 

Looking at the situation without considering navigation I think CaRT have been successful.

 

My understanding was they are supposed to be a navigation authority but it's clearly not the case and was wondering what the future holds when the funding stops. 

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2 hours ago, Chewbacka said:

The improvements from the 70’s till CRT took over was ALL under BW.  The op question asked if things have got better or worse SINCE the take over by CRT.

 

Personally I feel CRT has reduced preventive maintenance and is moving to a fix on failure.  Fix on failure can save money, but can also cost a lot if there is a breach or collapse etc.  A high risk strategy.

You did not read the OP's post correctly it said....

 

"In my opinion the waterways have never been so unreliable and in such poor condition."

 

I am disputing that statement as clearly untrue.

 

people also have short memories of BW I can remember on here and other places that people could not wait to get rid of BW and let CRT take-over.

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1 hour ago, Midnight said:

Close enough for me but you miss the point!

True I never started boating until the 80's but even so it's not just about maintenance. I asked for opinions on how CaRT will be generally regarded by the powers that be in the aftermath of the Whaley Bridge incident.

 

From a boaters point of view - mine in particular - the system has seriously declined to the point where fellow forum members talk about selling up and many like me worry when setting out on holiday if we will get back.

 

Looking at the situation without considering navigation I think CaRT have been successful.

 

My understanding was they are supposed to be a navigation authority but it's clearly not the case and was wondering what the future holds when the funding stops. 

The world is not perfect and of course CRT could do more but they are a navigation authority and they are doing maintenance. What on earth do you think the closures are all about in the winter???

 

We have no idea as to the full story of what happened at Whalley bridge just yet but you are clearly a prescient expert in these matters willing to pass judgement without evidence. All dams are independently on a regular basis.

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4 minutes ago, churchward said:

We have no idea as to the full story of what happened at Whalley bridge just yet but you are clearly a prescient expert in these matters willing to pass judgement without evidence. All dams are independently on a regular basis.

I may (or may not) be "clearly a prescient expert" but at least I can spell Whaley Bridge

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Heading up an organisation Like C&RT, must have been like being passed a poison chalice while having the sword of Damocles teetering around over your head.

The decision makers in government and the funders will have had mixed views, many will not agree or even support their existence let alone the remit given to them.  

A lot to contend with.

Then you look at the flavour of comments on our forum alone.

 

I think C&RT would happily consider the outcome of Dismal Success as being the best they could ever achieve in the eyes of others.

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2 hours ago, Cheshire cat said:

Given the current situation I can't help but wonder about how misguided some of the canal restoration efforts are.  Some have merit but the vast majority are likely to be more white elephants for C&RT to juggle with

 

Yes. a bit like them charity campaigns to buy a scanner. Another mill stone for the NHS to pay the running costs of in perpetuity.

 

 

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6 hours ago, Cheshire cat said:

Given the current situation I can't help but wonder about how misguided some of the canal restoration efforts are.  Some have merit but the vast majority are likely to be more white elephants for C&RT to juggle with

Funny but I thought this a month or so ago when I saw some middle aged People kitted out in full safety gear push some wheelbarrows over the top of Cosgrove Lock . Whats going on shouted an Australian Bloke on a Hire Boat , their off to restore the Buckingham Arm replied the old Bloke who sits perpetually on the Bench . Never underestimate the Englishmans enthusiasm for a futile exercise .

 

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8 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Yes. a bit like them charity campaigns to buy a scanner. Another mill stone for the NHS to pay the running costs of in perpetuity.

 

 

 

I have often wondered why the NHS own and maintain such expensive equipment. In every other industry with high value, high maintenance equipment (airlines, railways etc) which soon becomes outmoded, the equipment is leased, thus transferring the cost from capital (one off) to current (recurring spend) budget.

 

Another example of dead wood management doing what they have always done, rather than thinking it through I suspect.

Edited by cuthound
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4 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

I have often wondered why the NHS own and maintain such expensive equipment. In every other industry with high value, high maintenance equipment (airlines, railways etc) which soon becomes outmoded, the equipment is leased, thus transferring the cost from capital (one off) to current (recurring spend) budget.

 

Another example of dead wood management doing what they have always done, rather than thinking it through I suspect.

The labour government introduced the public-private partnership for putting new school and hospital buildings into the private sector then buying then over a long term.  A bit of a disaster.  Not sure I would want to extend that approach within the public sector.

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