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Market Drayton visitor moorings to close


MHS

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3 minutes ago, StephenA said:

 

CRT have said that their contractor is not capable of doing the work in separate phases - it's an all or nothing affair.

I think that should just read “CRT’s contractor is not capable” 

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18 minutes ago, MHS said:

I have received an email from Market Drayton council this morning from a councillor who has been in touch with CRT for a while. So they were aware of the situation, but obviously not delighted as per the timing. I just hope that CRT at least do the work in separate phases. 
 

 

They might have been aware but were they really aware? Did they know that the entire length would be closed for the whole length of time or did they think that it would be done in sections - so a reduction of mooring capacity, not the complete removal of it.

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24 minutes ago, MHS said:

I have received an email from Market Drayton council this morning from a councillor who has been in touch with CRT for a while. So they were aware of the situation, but obviously not delighted as per the timing. I just hope that CRT at least do the work in separate phases. 
 

 

If I had a local business I’d be pretty annoyed if the council was happy to let all the moorings be shut with the subsequent loss in trade. 

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12 minutes ago, StephenA said:

They might have been aware but were they really aware? Did they know that the entire length would be closed for the whole length of time or did they think that it would be done in sections - so a reduction of mooring capacity, not the complete removal of it.

I think they are well aware of the situation.
I don’t want to post what is a personal email from the councillor, without their permission. I don’t think there’s an issue with pasting this section:

 

The Town Council are aware of this and I’ve personally been involved in quite a bit of communication with the CRT over this issue, like you, we are somewhat perplexed by the timing of this proposed work and the disastrous effect it’s going to have on the loss of boaters, visitors and tourism to the Town and the ultimate effect it’s going to have on our Towns businesses,  on what for many of them is their prime trading season.

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I was also interested in what functions the grants are obtained from the Government office, Rural Payments Agency

 

Updates from Rural Payments Agency

Higher Tier 31 March – deadline to request an application pack online using the Rural Payments service, or to call or email us to send an application pack to you. 30 April – initial applications close. Submit your application by email or post. Capital Grants There is a new Capital Grants package which replaces the Hedgerows and Boundaries grant and stand-alone water capital grants in the Mid Tier. It offers a greater number of capital items that you can apply for online, using the Rural Payments service. These standalone capital items cover water capital, hedgerows and boundaries, and air quality. 30 April – applications close

Mid Tier There’s a number of new options to the scheme to help improve air quality, reduce ammonia emissions and improve water quality. Advice will be available from Catchment Sensitive Farming Officers to ensure these environmental actions are targeted to where they can best benefit priority habitats. It is no longer possible to apply for a Mid Tier capital only agreement. Applications should include capital items and management options. If you want to apply for capital items only, you can do this by applying for the new Capital Grants offer. 28 May – deadline to call us to request an application pack, if you can’t request one using the Rural Payments service. 31 May – last day to request approval for options in a Priority Habitat

 

Presumably the CRT is looking for finance to improve the ecology of the canal. If not why should a grant be given ?

No doubt all will become clear when work begins.

 

 

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On 28/06/2021 at 15:02, Heartland said:

Now if it for improvement to higher cycleway standards, this also must be a matter of concern. This forum has always looked at a balanced view of cyclist on the towpath. Some have expresses negative view, some have been positive about it. Yet the onward march for selective towpath improvement for one group of canal users can be seen as positive discrimination and if the case the CRT may be in breach of their authority.

 

I haven't seen any evidence that this is specifically a cycling project (and to be honest it wouldn't make a vast amount of sense as one IMO).

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CRT comment.

 

Thank you for contacting us about the towpath closure at Market Drayton. Unfortunately, it is not possible to reschedule the work for later in the year. 

We do appreciate that it is not ideal carrying out the work during the summer months, but it is part of a wider programme of work being carried out and it is not possible to reschedule the work for later in the year. This work is part of a wider towpath improvement scheme in the region, part funded by a grant from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) Rural Tourism Infrastructure programme. Other schemes in this project include current works taking place at Great Haywood and planned works at Lions Quay on the Llangollen. The funding is time limited, so we have taken the difficult decision to carry out the works in the summer months.

We are focused on complete towpath closure to get the works done quickly and efficiently to avoid closing any longer than we have to and also keeping the boating customer facilities at Market Drayton open during the works. We are working closely with local residents and community groups to complete the works ahead of the planned Market Drayton Festival in September. 

We appreciate you writing and sharing your feedback with us. The local team are meeting with the project delivery team and contractors to understand what mitigation can be put in place and when there are updates, we will be publishing on our stoppage notice website to inform our customers.

Kind regards,

Jenny

 

Jenny Chu

Customer Service Administrator

 

 

Over and out. TD'

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1 hour ago, The Bearwood Boster said:

There was an article about this in the Shropshire Star paper today(including a front page intro' to the story).A lady representing Talbot Wharf was clearly not impressed/happy !

 

https://www.shropshirestar.com/news/health/coronavirus-covid19/2021/07/01/warning-that-canal-work-will-hit-post-lockdown-tourist-trade/

 

 

Quote

 

He said: "It is right across the summer period which is one of the busiest times. We get about 1,200 boats come through in the summer period. That is a lot of people visiting the town, the town shops, all the markets, all the other services we offer, and this work at this time will disrupt our tourist industry when we need to get back on our feet.

"So I was very surprised the Canal and Rivers Trust did not contact us about how they would go forward with these repairs."

 

 

Edited by StephenA
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Not just Market Drayton. Great Haywood and on the Lllangollen too. 

I'm not sure how much notice CRT were themselves given by the rural payments agency, but the towpath work has to be done in good weather apparently, and they have to spend the money by the end of the year.  Will be interesting to know if they give the local businesses on their patch any break (in rent etc) in return for all this EU money that's stopping at the end of the year.

 

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This is just in from CRT....I think the various emails and articles have had some effect. Well done to all concerned!

 

PRESS RELEASE

2 July 2021

 

Towpath to be upgraded on Shropshire Union Canal at Market Drayton

 

Waterways and wellbeing charity, Canal & River Trust, is set to improve the towpath along the Shropshire Union Canal at Market Drayton for the thousands of boaters and local people who use this section of canal every year.

 

The work is being part-funded by a grant from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development Rural Tourism Infrastructure programme and involves improving the towpath between Victoria Wharf at Bridge 65 through to the Market Drayton Aqueduct.

 

Starting on 12 July, the seven-week project will involve resurfacing and widening the towpath in places to create a rural green route that connects communities and allows local people and visitors to explore their local canal whatever the weather.

 

To carry out the work safely the towpath will initially be closed. As soon as is practically possible sections of the towpath will be reopened to provide access from the canal to the town nearby. During the work, the canal will remain open to boaters who will have supervised access to the visitor moorings and the customer services facilities. Overnight mooring will be permitted.

 

Adnan Saif, regional director for West Midlands at the Canal & River Trust, said: “The canal and towpath at Market Drayton is extremely popular but, when it’s wet, it can become slippery and a bit of a mud bath, making it inaccessible for local people, boaters and tourists wanting to explore this rural stretch of canal and the nearby town. 

 

“Whilst we appreciate that doing this work over the summer isn’t ideal for boaters and local people, we do need to drier, warmer weather in order to carry out the work as quickly as possible whilst causing the least amount of disruption. We are aiming to keep sections of the towpath open during the works so that local people and visitors can still access nearby shops, pubs and restaurants.

 

“Our research shows that being next to water makes you feel happier and healthier and once this towpath is finished I hope local people can enjoy being next to water all year round.”

 

This towpath improvement is part of a wider package of works aimed at improving the towpath of rural canals in Shropshire and Staffordshire for boaters, local people and tourists visiting the area. Towpath improvements have already started along the Trent & Mersey Canal at Great Haywood with the next phase of improvements taking place on the Llangollen Canal at Lions Quay.

 

For more information on the work of the Canal & River Trust including how you can donate money or volunteer your time visit www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

 

-ENDS-

 

For further media requests please contact Sarah Rudy on 07788 691219 or email sarah.rudy@canalrivertrust.org.uk

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Not quite sure where the mud bath bits are as I walked along most of the visitor moorings following a few hours of torrential rain and there was hardly a puddle but at least they appear to have listened to the boaters concerns.

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1 minute ago, Rob-M said:

Not quite sure where the mud bath bits are as I walked along most of the visitor moorings following a few hours of torrential rain and there was hardly a puddle but at least they appear to have listened to the boaters concerns.

Indeed but I think a full climb down and admitting the works had been badly planned may have been a step too far.....

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So you can pull up in an 'empty' spot and stop overnight?

If there's no-one to tell you not to, then there;s unlikely to be anyone there till morning, and we all know that the working day is 10:00am to 3:00pm with 1 1/2 hrs for lunch.

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1 hour ago, Ex Brummie said:

So you can pull up in an 'empty' spot and stop overnight?

If there's no-one to tell you not to, then there;s unlikely to be anyone there till morning, and we all know that the working day is 10:00am to 3:00pm with 1 1/2 hrs for lunch.

That's basically what appeared to have happened at Great Haywood, lots of boats ended up stopping especially when they had no mooring signs for two weeks but no work had started.

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 I was at Gt Heywood, no sign of work being done all day Monday 2 weeks ago. Most of the towpath fenced off and some moorers inside the no go area.

 

Not impressed at what they are doing, looks like it could be done in a long weekend by professionals.

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1 minute ago, Tracy D'arth said:

 I was at Gt Heywood, no sign of work being done all day Monday 2 weeks ago. Most of the towpath fenced off and some moorers inside the no go area.

 

Not impressed at what they are doing, looks like it could be done in a long weekend by professionals.

I expressed some concern about the timescale given roughly 2km of roadways in our marina were planed/concrete base/tarred & topped in about a week. 

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1 hour ago, MHS said:

Good news, shows us that it is worth giving CRT constructive criticism and getting in touch with the council once in a while. 

 

But at the same time we shouldn't have had to - what was pointed out to CRT wasn't anything they shouldn't have already been aware of / thought of. CRT simply didn't care about their "customers" or the impact on the businesses in the area affected by their works.

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8 minutes ago, StephenA said:

 

But at the same time we shouldn't have had to - what was pointed out to CRT wasn't anything they shouldn't have already been aware of / thought of. CRT simply didn't care about their "customers" or the impact on the businesses in the area affected by their works.

Hopefully this has made them think a bit and might just improve future works…and if it doesn’t my emails may become even more direct and to the point…..

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I was watching the work being done at Great Haywood last Friday. The guys doing the work seemed to be Easter European. I thought the work rate was pretty good. One of the guys was whacking in pieces of 2 x 2 with a sledge hammer to which the barge board path edges were being attached. His hand eye coordination was a joy to behold. 

Edited by Cheshire cat
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On 02/07/2021 at 16:58, frangar said:

I expressed some concern about the timescale given roughly 2km of roadways in our marina were planed/concrete base/tarred & topped in about a week. 

Whitchurch 300-yd arm resurfaced in two days - Waterways World June 2021

whitchurch arm.jpg

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