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COVID-19: An update from the Canal & River Trust


Ray T

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22 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I dont seem to be getting anything from CRT, I'm a bit in the dark, seems like I need to get the TV up and running,

Even without a TV or radio - You are participating in all of these C19 threads (and presumably reading them) yet you are 'a bit in the dark' about what is happening.

 

C'mon this is a wind-up.

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Does anyone know if the Environment Agnecy / Anglian Waterways have realeased a statement? There's a whole load of boaters on the lower half of the great ouse waiting for the lock works to be finished (april 6th). No idea if this is still happening or whether Earith lock will be open?

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17 hours ago, wandering snail said:

 Getting very anxious about the laissez faire attitude of most of the passers by here, most of whom don't seem to think that the 2m rule applies to them. 

 

Walking the dog on lanes and footpaths round here I find that since the weekend  everyone is walking against the side of the track when passing, or one waiting in a wide spot for the other to pass, without any need for discussion. And couples walking side by side just fall into line one behind the other to maintain distance.

Edited by David Mack
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23 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Used to get them for Aire and Calder, assumed they'd give me vital info too, as a licence holder.

Was it stoppage notices you got for the Aire and Calder?  They are a bit different from what you get if you  register on the link given above. By registering there, you get regular boating updates and in the current Corona virus pandemic, you  get emails giving the latest situation telling you what do do and not do on the waterways to comply with the national instructions.  In the current ever changing times, they are very useful. The same information will be on the C & RT web site but you would have to keep checking to see what the latest advice is rather than have it sent to you.

 

haggis 

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5 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Even without a TV or radio - You are participating in all of these C19 threads (and presumably reading them) yet you are 'a bit in the dark' about what is happening.

 

C'mon this is a wind-up.

In the dark about CRT, I have queries, they are not being answered by CRT

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1 minute ago, LadyG said:

In the dark about CRT, I have queries, they are not being answered by CRT

I wonder if your queries would be answered by the emails we are getting just now? I think we have to bear in mind that C&RT will have staff off sick, staff working form home or not considered essential (and therefore been advised not to go to work) so they will be functioning on reduced staffing levels. We need to give them some slack, I think. If you raise your queries on here, someone might have the answer (not a guess, but a proper answer).  I know you are a very experienced boater but are still learning about canal boating and perhaps others on here  may be able to help. Why not give it a go? 

 

Haggis

 

haggis 

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I had an email on Monday evening from CRT sent to the Boaters Update list, then on Tuesday a slightly updated version explaining it was the same email now being sent to all licence holders for whom they have an email address. I assume from now on both lists will receive important updates.

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19 hours ago, wandering snail said:

Update from Damian at C&RT - this problem with towpath users is being discussed at C&RT tomorrow. Apparently we have not been the only ones to have emailed about it. Hope they do something better than giving us a sign to print off about keeping your distance, which by the time they've come close enough to read it on the boat.... no more needs to be said!

 

 

I've heard that CRT are  going to issue free waders  to towpath walkers, to allow people to pass with a 2 metre seperation. ???

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On 25/03/2020 at 11:27, lifeintheslowlanes said:

Does anyone know if the Environment Agnecy / Anglian Waterways have realeased a statement? There's a whole load of boaters on the lower half of the great ouse waiting for the lock works to be finished (april 6th). No idea if this is still happening or whether Earith lock will be open?

 

I'm on EA/Anglian waterways and I received this yesterday. Sorry if it's already been posted somewhere else on the forum.

 

 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) urgent update for boaters

 

Dear Customer

These are unprecedented times and here at the Environment Agency we have been working hard to make sure our response to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic follows Government advice, in the best interests of the health of our staff and customers.

We have done our best to maintain our sites and services as close as possible to business as usual, keeping waterways and facilities open for everyone to enjoy afloat and on foot, subject to following Government guidance.

Following Monday’s announcement from the Prime Minister about the UK’s heightened response to the Coronavirus emergency, we have taken the difficult decision to introduce limits to the use of our waterways to stop all non-essential travel. 

 

This means:

 

• We are asking the owners of all boats kept or used on our managed waterways not to make any journeys on their boats, other than to access essential services and facilities.

 

• We will not provide ‘assisted passage’ (staff to operate locks) at any of our lock sites but locks will remain open for self-service use where possible. This will allow those living aboard their boats to reach essential services if they need to. 

 

• At the few locks where self-service is not possible, our local teams will put special temporary operating arrangements in place to allow boats to return to their home moorings.  

 

• We will lift time restrictions on the short stay moorings we own or manage, to assist those who live aboard their boats so they can access essential services.

 

• We will do the very best we can to keep open the essential facilities we provide (e.g. water supply, sewage pump-out and chemical toilet disposal), for those who need them. However our staff will not be able to offer the sale of keys, cards or tokens. These essential services will not include the provision of shower and toilet facilities.  

 

• We advise our customers to stay at home rather than self-isolating aboard, unless your boat is your primary residence. This is so you do not put yourself at increased risk or place additional burden upon our facilities.

 

• The river conditions on our waterways are starting to improve and in some places our Strong Stream Advice will be updated in the coming days. However, any travel on our waterways should still be minimised to the essential movement outlined above. 

 

We will keep these restrictions under constant review in the light of the developing situation and advice from Government, but we expect them to be in place until at least 14 April 2020. It goes without saying that our priority is to keep our staff and customers safe, and we will be working to make sure that everybody can get back to enjoying everything our waterways have to offer as soon as it is possible.

 

You will appreciate our National Customer Contact Centre is very busy at this time, please help us by getting in touch only if it’s essential. If you do need to contact us, we encourage you to email us at enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk

 

For the full Government guidance on coronavirus go to www.gov.uk/coronavirus


Thank you all for your co-operation during these very challenging times for everyone.

Best wishes

 

Alice Mayne
Deputy Director for Navigation and Commercial Development

Environment Agency

 
 
Edited by blackrose
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CRT Coronavirus leaflets have been put up around where we're moored. "Towpaths remain open, use of them should no be limited" - "Avoid any stretches with boats moored against the towpath".

 

We had about 6 kids hanging about under the bridge last evening, tucked away from the police who're breaking up (I believe) more than a couple of people. This might become more common as time goes by, being kept 'tethered' will probably be hard to do for rebelling youfs.

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"Avoid any stretches with boats moored against the towpath".

If I was setting out for a walk along the towpath I would have no idea in advance if I was going to encounter a boat moored against the towpath. I would suggest that it is almost impossible for those that do not know the canals, and even those that do, to predict if they are going to encounter a moored boat along the way. 

I'm afraid the ruling should either be the towpaths are open or the towpaths are closed, binary choice but clear. 

It is obvious to me  that the current ruling isn't working.

As a libertarian by nature I may feel uncomfortable with the imposition of these rules, tough luck on me, but I feel much more uncomfortable with selfishness and or thoughtlessness causing unnecessary deaths. 

Eta

Jennifer McM ^^^^

I observe similar today when out shopping. 

Just glad I'm not at teenager where gathering with your mates and chatting up the girls is a major part of your life, nature at work, that will take some policing. 

Edited by reg
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On 23/03/2020 at 16:40, Richard10002 said:

Unfortunately, I dont think enough people know how far 2m is. I was o my way for a walk with the dog when my boat neighbour approached me this afternoon for a chat. I kept moving a bit away from him, and he kept moving back to being a bit too close. He actually said that he didnt think that this social distancing would do any good. I said, (in the nicest way), that, if I have it and I coughed and gave it to him, he would give it to his other half, she would give it to some people at the bus stop and on the bus, and so on...... if he had it, coughed, and gave it to me, I would give it my wife, and to some who came close to me when shopping, or who used my trolley after me, and so on.

 

I could guess that many people feel like he did, and just aren't getting the message of how serious this is, and that one individual action gets multiplied exponentially. There will also be others who dont give a stuff :( 

Being old school and I dont do meters. As to the law of the land which still does feet and inch's 2 meters  works out to about 6'6'' now that I understand lol.

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2 minutes ago, Oddjob said:

Being old school and I dont do meters. As to the law of the land which still does feet and inch's 2 meters  works out to about 6'6'' now that I understand lol.

The thing that allerted my was when desamilastion first came in a friend was moving house and the removal company wanted to know the volume of good in cubic meters. They suggested just to use how many cubic yards he needed and call them meters. A bit of difference.  10 yards is only 7.6 mts if you pay for 10 Mts when you want 10 yards you waste a bit

 

 

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13 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

The thing that allerted my was when desamilastion first came in a friend was moving house and the removal company wanted to know the volume of good in cubic meters. They suggested just to use how many cubic yards he needed and call them meters. A bit of difference.  10 yards is only 7.6 mts if you pay for 10 Mts when you want 10 yards you waste a bit

 

 

I bet they would not have charged 10 cu yards for in fact what was 10 cu meters. Just one of the ways for companies to have you over when things change over, always round UP. I can work in both but as a Licenced aircarft engineer all my working life civil aircraft always have been and always will be imperial. I was working in france and went to the tool store for a 1/8th drill No was the replay we have no 1/8th drills, ok ok let me have a 3.2mm drill yes that we have and gives me a drill marked 1/8th lol.

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On 23/03/2020 at 09:36, Ray T said:

PRESS RELEASE

23 March 2020

 

COVID-19: AN UPDATE FROM THE CANAL & RIVER TRUST

 

Following our message from last week, our response to this unprecedented crisis continues to evolve.  Our priority is to support the national effort to keep people safe and fighting the pandemic, strictly following the Government’s advice.

 

Our 2,000-mile network of canals, towpaths, and river navigations remain open, but we strongly encourage people to stay local and observe social distancing measures.  As our waterways run through towns and cities across the country, they bring the countryside into urban areas, providing the opportunity to get outdoors and connect with nature without travelling far from home.

 

So until advice changes, you may continue to use your local towpath to exercise and get some fresh air, but please observe the latest Government guidance on social distancing – do not congregate, keep moving, allow space for others to pass, and be mindful of moored boats where people will often be self-isolating.

 

‘Virtual wellbeing’: For the many people who are self-isolating, or who do not live close to a canal or river, you can continue to experience the calm and beauty of the waterways from the comfort of your own home by accessing our website here.

 

Ends

 

 

Fran Read

National press officer

I work Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays

M  07796 610 427

E  fran.read@canalrivertrustorg.uk

Notices posted by CRT regarding coronavirus seem to imply that boaters are more likely to have the virus, maybe this should be clarified

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