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C&RT Review of 'Facilities' provision


Alan de Enfield

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This could be seen as a prelude to reduced facilites due to 'we must manage our resources to give the best results'

 

Now's the chance for all those 'composting boaters' to lobby C&RT for the provison of additional (suitable) waste bins.

 

Your views needed on boater waterside facilities

We’ve started the process of setting a national standard for the water points, refuse sites and other boater facilities that we provide across the waterways network. 

Narrowboat at Milton Keynes. Grand Union Canal

 

We currently maintain over 600 water points, 65 Elsans, and 250 refuse and recycling sites free at the point of use. There are also over 75 card operated pump-out machines and, in some areas, toilets and showers. However, there is no statutory requirement or set of standards about where or what facilities we will provide. 

As a result, we’re starting a consultation for boat licence holders, to agree a minimum standard of customer service facilities that, within existing resources, will best meet the needs of those living on and navigating the network. 

The consultation has been developed with boaters from our Navigation Advisory Group and elected boater representatives and builds on the findings of the Inland Waterway Association survey and recommendations on customer service facilities. 

We spend around £4 million every year on maintaining the facilities and managing waste.  Many older facilities require investment, whilst the cost of providing and maintaining the Trust’s facilities is also increasing, with soaring inflation and, in too many cases, the need to repair vandalism to customer service buildings housing the facilities.  

We will be asking boaters about what facilities they consider essential: what facilities should and should not be provided by us; what the minimum cruising distance between facilities should ideally be; and what local factors should be taken into consideration where there is higher or lower demand. 

Newark Castle from a bridge over the River Trent

Matthew Symonds, head of customer service, said: “We know how important it is for boaters to be able to access water and waste facilities when they are cruising. In reality, many of the boater facilities that we provide have been installed over time without an over-arching national standard, which can make it hard for boaters to know how far they might have to travel and what they might find.   

“Set against the context of growing customer expectations and rising costs in providing and maintaining the facilities, we recognise that there is need to change and improve how we provide them. We want to ensure we provide facilities that boaters need, delivered to a consistent standard across out network, and that the facilities are better in terms of resilience and reliability, with fewer breakdowns and incidents of vandalism. 

“The intention is to use our resources more effectively to deliver the best possible service for boaters. I would encourage all boaters to share their views on how we can achieve this together.” 

 

 

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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Oh bugger this is just CRT speak for "we are going to reduce facilities and up yours boaters". £4m ?? wonder how much they spend on blue signs, Facebook ads, dog poo bags holders  two-tone van livery, director's bonuses, middle managers and full stack developers.

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1 hour ago, Midnight said:

Oh bugger this is just CRT speak for "we are going to reduce facilities and up yours boaters". £4m ?? wonder how much they spend on blue signs, Facebook ads, dog poo bags holders  two-tone van livery, director's bonuses, middle managers and full stack developers.

As much as it annoys boaters to see money spent on these things it's inevitable in any big organisation. Brand recognition is useful to users and results from the requirements set by the government grant.

1 minute ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Interesting that CRT only maintain 65 Elsan points on the entire system. I wonder how many there were ten years ago.

Does that include the one at Salterhebble, and any other facility out of action for a reason other than routine malfunction.

 

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8 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

Interesting that CRT only maintain 65 Elsan points on the entire system. I wonder how many there were ten years ago.

I don't know, I can't think of one's that have been permanently closed (willing to be corrected). I thought the one at Fosse Wharf on the Grand Union (Bridge 32) was being closed due to difficulty of access for the septic tank, but passing through there recently it was still working perfectly. Have they actually shut any Elsan points down (is the disgusting one at Rugby still there?)

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7 minutes ago, Lady C said:

Elsan points maintained by others also exist.

You are correct, I'm currently using one which is exceptional clean and well maintained, attached to a hire company, and I have used one which required a £1 coin, at a marina. Boatyards with pumpout may have one, though sometimes just a drain with a cover 

Edited by LadyG
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30 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

I don't know, I can't think of one's that have been permanently closed (willing to be corrected). I thought the one at Fosse Wharf on the Grand Union (Bridge 32) was being closed due to difficulty of access for the septic tank, but passing through there recently it was still working perfectly. Have they actually shut any Elsan points down (is the disgusting one at Rugby still there?)

I think the one at Hurlston has been permanently removed

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27 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

I don't know, I can't think of one's that have been permanently closed (willing to be corrected). I thought the one at Fosse Wharf on the Grand Union (Bridge 32) was being closed due to difficulty of access for the septic tank, but passing through there recently it was still working perfectly. Have they actually shut any Elsan points down (is the disgusting one at Rugby still there?)

Llangollen canal, Hurleston, is the first that comes to mind, I have a feeling there was also one on the way down to Chester and I think there use to be one at Plants Lock on the T&M

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Just now, ditchcrawler said:

Llangollen canal, Hurleston, is the first that comes to mind, I have a feeling there was also one on the way down to Chester and I think there use to be one at Plants Lock on the T&M

Wasn't the one on the Shroppie just past the Middlewich branch removed as well, sorry forgot it's name

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7 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

Wasn't the one on the Shroppie just past the Middlewich branch removed as well, sorry forgot it's name

That was in a hire boat yard that closed down, I don't think it was one of CRT's. (Middlewich Narrowboats if I remember right)

 

Yes the one at Hurleston went, wasn't that a leakage problem (with the reservoir nearby:sick:)

Edited by Wanderer Vagabond
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4 minutes ago, tree monkey said:

Wasn't the one on the Shroppie just past the Middlewich branch removed as well, sorry forgot it's name

You're maybe thinking about the rubbish point and tap at Barbridge Junction? The Shroppie around there is pretty good for facilities: it's not far between Nantwich and Calverley. I think the tap at the junction was nominally replaced with on above the first lock on the branch.

 

MP.

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45 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

I don't know, I can't think of one's that have been permanently closed (willing to be corrected). I thought the one at Fosse Wharf on the Grand Union (Bridge 32) was being closed due to difficulty of access for the septic tank, but passing through there recently it was still working perfectly. Have they actually shut any Elsan points down (is the disgusting one at Rugby still there?)

The water and elsan at the top of Tyrley flight on the shroppie has been out of use for at least a couple of years. I don't know if it's been formally abandoned.

 

MP.

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2 minutes ago, MoominPapa said:

You're maybe thinking about the rubbish point and tap at Barbridge Junction? The Shroppie around there is pretty good for facilities: it's not far between Nantwich and Calverley. I think the tap at the junction was nominally replaced with on above the first lock on the branch.

 

MP.

Yes you are right, I was thinking of the other end of the Middlewich Branch on the T&M. I can't remember an Elsan at Barbridge though, when we overwintered in the area (2017) we either went to Calveley or Nantwich. To be honest the water tap at Barbridge was always a bit in the way of the junction.

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It's crazy that there's no elsan facilty in Middlewich. With the loss of Hurleston, a boat coming from the Bridgewater or the Weaver onto the Llann doesn't pass anything between Anderton and the top of Grindley Brook unless they direct to Calverley or Nantwich.

 

MP.

 

ETA. Also, It's a pain that the only Elsan in Chester is the one below the Staircase. There's a disused Elsan by one locks on the way in (maybe Chemistry?) but ideally something in Christleton would be best.

Edited by MoominPapa
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1 hour ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

I don't know, I can't think of one's that have been permanently closed (willing to be corrected).

The one on the Severn at Diglis beside the basin locks -- not particularly important with the other point a few hundred yards away, but I was surprised to find it locked up despite being on the online map and marked with shiny blue signs.

They've since taken it off the map, but left the signs up so that future visitors can share in the confusion.

 

EDIT: and the floating one at Upton, replaced by an agreement to use the marina's. Seems more straightforward really.

Edited by Francis Herne
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23 minutes ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Yes you are right, I was thinking of the other end of the Middlewich Branch on the T&M. I can't remember an Elsan at Barbridge though, when we overwintered in the area (2017) we either went to Calveley or Nantwich. To be honest the water tap at Barbridge was always a bit in the way of the junction.

There's an Elsan at the Chandlers on the corner at Barbridge which used to be available but is now for their moorers only. There's one at the marina by the first lock on the link, oddly in the middle of a field.

Edited by Arthur Marshall
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3 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

We currently maintain over 600 water points, 65 Elsans, and 250 refuse and recycling sites free at the point of use. There are also over 75 card operated pump-out machines and, in some areas, toilets and showers.

Why did BW/CRT ever get into the business of providing showers?

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1 hour ago, LadyG said:

You are correct, I'm currently using one which is exceptional clean and well maintained, attached to a hire company, and I have used one which required a £1 coin, at a marina. Boatyards with pumpout may have one, though sometimes just a drain with a cover 

If that Elsan’s at Sowerby Bridge, I’m sure it’s CRT maintained. 
 

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