C&RT seemed surprised that less than 50% of boaters are 'happy'.

[Paladine]

The malaise doesn't just affect the canals. Here on the Broads budget cuts are biting. These photos are of very popular EA mooring. There are two paths, one alongside the mooring and another 3 metres inland, which is a public footpath the responsibility of the Norfolk County Council. The overgrown space in between the two paths used to be mowed regularly by a local parish councillor, with a ride-on mower, and visitors would sit out with their chairs and sun brollies, on what was almost a lawn. Then the PC decided it couldn't afford to insure him, so the mowing stopped and the result is clear to see. But last weekend a couple of boaters with hedge trimmers made a start on clearance. I used one of these https://www.expressmowers.co.uk/product/stihl-hsa56-battery-hedge-trimmer-bundle/  which is very effective against mugwort stems and similar woody weeds.

 

These days, it's pretty pointless trying to get the powers-that-be to do anything other than the bare minimum. The Broads Authority is just as bad as the EA and CaRT in that respect. It shouldn't be the case, but I think it falls to the boaters, who seem to have more respect for their environment than do those who are actually responsible for it, to step up and if we just cleared/cleaned a space wherever we stop, I'm sure the difference it would make would be immense.

And this is the public footpath a couple of hundred yards further on, again at the back of an EA mooring.It's overgrown with burdock (which can grow to 8ft tall), the seedheads of which are extremely problematic for dogs. Half an hours work with a pruning saw (the stems can be a couple of inches in diameter) produced the result shown. And yes I have sent a photo to the County Council.

[peterboat]

42 minutes ago, Paladine said:

The malaise doesn't just affect the canals. Here on the Broads budget cuts are biting. These photos are of very popular EA mooring. There are two paths, one alongside the mooring and another 3 metres inland, which is a public footpath the responsibility of the Norfolk County Council. The overgrown space in between the two paths used to be mowed regularly by a local parish councillor, with a ride-on mower, and visitors would sit out with their chairs and sun brollies, on what was almost a lawn. Then the PC decided it couldn't afford to insure him, so the mowing stopped and the result is clear to see. But last weekend a couple of boaters with hedge trimmers made a start on clearance. I used one of these https://www.expressmowers.co.uk/product/stihl-hsa56-battery-hedge-trimmer-bundle/  which is very effective against mugwort stems and similar woody weeds.

 

These days, it's pretty pointless trying to get the powers-that-be to do anything other than the bare minimum. The Broads Authority is just as bad as the EA and CaRT in that respect. It shouldn't be the case, but I think it falls to the boaters, who seem to have more respect for their environment than do those who are actually responsible for it, to step up and if we just cleared/cleaned a space wherever we stop, I'm sure the difference it would make would be immense.

And this is the public footpath a couple of hundred yards further on, again at the back of an EA mooring.It's overgrown with burdock (which can grow to 8ft tall), the seedheads of which are extremely problematic for dogs. Half an hours work with a pruning saw (the stems can be a couple of inches in diameter) produced the result shown. And yes I have sent a photo to the County Council.

That's where we want to be in 2 years time, not looking good is it?

[Paladine]

8 minutes ago, peterboat said:

That's where we want to be in 2 years time, not looking good is it?

The free 24hr moorings provided by the Broads Authority are looked after much better. The rangers mow the grass, check the mooring posts etc, but of course  that cost comes out of the tolls, which increase alarmingly each year. So much so that the Broads Hire Boat Federation have submitted an appeal to the Secretary of State. The moorings I mentioned previously are EA moorings, provided at no cost to boaters. There are two of them at this location, quite close together, very popular, and have recently had the piling and quayheading refurbished, so I and a few others are keen to see them kept in a decent condition, even if it means working up a bit of a sweat. There are quite a few 'wild' or 'trespass' moorings, which are just bankside, with no facilities whatsoever, and the land owner hasn't put up No Mooring signs. There are kept usable simply by being used, otherwise they become overgrown with reed and weed. So all is not lost...yet!

[Arthur Marshall]

4 hours ago, Midnight said:

Which one Arthur?

Sorry, forgot to quote! I carry a battery strimmer, clear the bits for mooring.

[NarrowboatTor]

Having just come off the Thames in the last few days and wanting to do the full Oxford canal I joined at Isis lock.

First impressions, a boat looking like it's been there long term tied to the lock landing, darned annoying when a 55fter will only just squeeze into the space left, nose pointing into the lock.

Onto the canal itself and for mile after mile I find half the canal overgrown with trees or shrubs and numerous abandoned boats along the tow path leaving literally a boats width to pass through.

Thankfully I met very little coming the other way and only pulled over a couple of times into the trees when I did.

 

Parked up for the night and at 7am someone came past so fast it ripped one of the abandoned boats loose and my own pins (buried deep at an angle) almost out of the bank.

After tieing the other boat back with help from the general public (it was across the cut) I decided to move on.

I'm now moored near shipton lock waiting on somerton deep lock repair schedule before trying to go further north.

 

So yeh impressions so far are a touch disappointing but hey I'm holding positive for the moment.

[Arthur Marshall]

3 hours ago, SLC said:

 

And I will call it as it is, a huge amount of the litter near us is dumped by people of foreign origin in areas where they frequent - this is evidence of my own eyes. 

I noted around us how many new C&RT signs have gone up - not one exhorts people to take litter home, clear up after their dogs properly. Sometimes we need to tell people how to behave but we cannot for fear of shaming them or disrespecting them. If only people would show more respect and consideration for others.

What a weird piece of blatant racism. You know what? A huge amout of litter is dumped by white people in areas they frequent. Not much gets dumped by people of apparent foreign origin in areas they don't go to. And how the hell do you know they are of foreign origin anyway? Perhaps their dads were, or their grandparents. These people are as likely to be as British as you are (assuming you are). Pillock.

 

[SLC]

I have witnessed it. Many times. Same items in same bag as brought there. Is the truth uncomfortable? There is a real issue when we denigrate reasonable witnessed evidence by using the word racism. There is a clear identifiable group who cause issues. We have a serious problem, we bury our heads for fear of abuse. As for confronting the perpetrators.... you risk being assaulted. It has happened locally albeit regarding another issue.

Yes there are others who pollute our canals but as someone who goes round picking up litter, it is so frustrating.

[Onionman]

On 01/07/2024 at 09:04, Midnight said:

I'm still trying to find some of the 46% who are 'satisfied'. I've spoken to a lot of boaters on this trip and so far it's 100% 'not satisfied'. So where are those 46%?

Anyone on here?

 

With stoppages coming thick & fast how long before the penny drops and Mr Parry retires to spend more time with the family?

 

I'm satisfied. Not had a maintenance problem so far after about 20 or so weeks over the past few years on a share boat in autumn and winter.

 

But then I have the attitude that life's pretty good all round and that it tends to improve over time. And on pretty much all rational measures it does. Life's far better for me than it was for my parents. My kids will have better lives than I do.  Stop reading the news. Stop using Farcebook and Twotter. Visit forums infrequently and laugh at the frothing rather than joining in. Think about all the people you meet and how almost everyone of them would drop everything to help you if you were in need. Stop moaning.

 

That's how you end up in the 46%.

 

Cue loads of people in the 56% telling me I'm wrong. And I probably won't see it because I follow my own advice.

Edited July 13 by Onionman

[LadyG]

On 21/06/2024 at 10:51, IanD said:

 

£3M not spent cutting grass is £3M more that can be spent on essential maintenance like fixing broken stuff -- and yes, this happens far too often for the reasons given above.

 

Usual moan about CART management, based on what? Funnily enough there have been several stoppages recently where after apocalyptic predictions people have been pleasantly surprised with the speed at which they've been fixed, which suggest some management is going on, but I guess that doesn't count... 😞 

 

You're not the only unhappy boater. But where do you think the (large amount of) money should come from to fix all this? (decrepit lock gate/paddle replacement, dredging, bank maintenance, better leak monitoring...)

 

A few quid won't sort it out -- you say you'd pay more, would you pay double the current license fee to sort it?

Im already paying significantly more than last year, and i dont expect to see any better maintenance.

[IanD]

35 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Im already paying significantly more than last year, and i dont expect to see any better maintenance.

As with so many other things -- insurance, rail travel, water bills, power bills, food costs, drinks, heating...

 

Costs for everything have gone up, so you should expect to pay more to get the same service -- this applies to CART as much as everything else.

 

If you want *better* maintenance, you'd have to pay a *lot* more -- but nobody wants to do this... 😞 

Edited July 13 by IanD

[Arthur Marshall]

29 minutes ago, LadyG said:

Im already paying significantly more than last year, and i dont expect to see any better maintenance.

I'm paying significantly more for a trolley load of food, but not only does it taste the same, the portions are smaller.

However, there are more millionaires in the UK than ever before, so everything's all right. It's all about priorities.

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, Arthur Marshall said:

there are more millionaires in the UK than ever before, so everything's all right. It's all about priorities.

It OK they are all leaving to live elsewhere before the next budget. I read it on the internet so it must be true 😈

[MtB]

2 hours ago, Arthur Marshall said:

I'm paying significantly more for a trolley load of food, but not only does it taste the same, the portions are smaller.

However, there are more millionaires in the UK than ever before, so everything's all right. It's all about priorities.

 

For now. 

 

Once the very richest (who are the most globally mobile) start pushing off elsewhere, the remainder of us will be facing massive tax rises just for the UK tax take to stand still.

 

One third of the UK income tax take for example, is paid by the richest 1%. We need to hang onto them, not start inflicting lefty 'social justice' on them. 

 

 

[Jon57]

3 hours ago, IanD said:

As with so many other things -- insurance, rail travel, water bills, power bills, food costs, drinks, heating...

 

Costs for everything have gone up, so you should expect to pay more to get the same service -- this applies to CART as much as everything else.

 

If you want *better* maintenance, you'd have to pay a *lot* more -- but nobody wants to do this... 😞 

That's fine but surely cutting grass around locks is a safety issue. Just helped a single hander down the Huddersfield narrow from Marsden and some offside lock vegetation was knee high covering the bollards as well as overgrown brambles, branches etc. 

[Philip]

An obvious way to go to reduce spending whilst improving maintenance is fitting steel lock gates again instead of wooden ones. They are cheaper and last longer than wooden gates; there are still many steel gates left and looking in good condition which were fitted in the 60s and 70s.

[Mike Todd]

31 minutes ago, Philip said:

An obvious way to go to reduce spending whilst improving maintenance is fitting steel lock gates again instead of wooden ones. They are cheaper and last longer than wooden gates; there are still many steel gates left and looking in good condition which were fitted in the 60s and 70s.

There are probably lots of things that could reduce costs, like turning all towpaths into wide flats that a mower can go straight over, like in cemeteries. But the heritage and environmental regs and lobbies would have a fit. In any case, the whole point of the canal network is keeping some semblance of a heturwge alive and kicking. Seems to me that CaRT are trying quite hard to make use if new tech when sensible to do so. But that involves value judgements.

[Philip]

1 hour ago, Mike Todd said:

In any case, the whole point of the canal network is keeping some semblance of a heturwge alive and kicking. 

 

Not really, heritage very much comes after keeping the canals in a workable state for boaters and reasonably easily accessible for towpath users. The heritage is an important aspect and wooden gates are attractive, but they're not necessary; keeping locks working and open for navigation is.

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Philip said:

 

Not really, heritage very much comes after keeping the canals in a workable state for boaters and reasonably easily accessible for towpath users. The heritage is an important aspect and wooden gates are attractive, but they're not necessary; keeping locks working and open for navigation is.

 

I've an idea lots of locks are grade 1 listed structures, so changing almost any detail would need Planning Permission (most likely to be refused).

 

God knows how CRT got away with carving that ghastly doggerel on the balance beams at Hillmorton. 

 

 

[IanD]

55 minutes ago, Philip said:

 

Not really, heritage very much comes after keeping the canals in a workable state for boaters and reasonably easily accessible for towpath users. The heritage is an important aspect and wooden gates are attractive, but they're not necessary; keeping locks working and open for navigation is.

Only for boaters. All CARTs KPIs are for non-boaters, because there are 100x more of them and that's where the priorities lie for the government and DEFRA... 😞

[Ronaldo47]

That could explain why I found that the lock from the canal basin to the river at Stratford-on-Avon, had had its arc of raised bricks that used to provide purchase for the feet of those working the locks, embedded in concrete to provide a smooth surface. A trip hazard eliminated for the Stratford tourists, but more difficulty for boaters who need to operate the locks, especially in the wet. At least, that was how it was on my last visit a few years ago.

[lampini]

5 hours ago, MtB said:

 

For now. 

 

Once the very richest (who are the most globally mobile) start pushing off elsewhere, the remainder of us will be facing massive tax rises just for the UK tax take to stand still.

 

One third of the UK income tax take for example, is paid by the richest 1%. We need to hang onto them, not start inflicting lefty 'social justice' on them. 

 

 

I disagree, as do a lot of economists. This guy explains it the best imho..

 

https://youtu.be/luobN4xGOdA?si=BvXBogbIxtMStwur

[Arthur Marshall]

12 hours ago, MtB said:

 

For now. 

 

Once the very richest (who are the most globally mobile) start pushing off elsewhere, the remainder of us will be facing massive tax rises just for the UK tax take to stand still.

 

One third of the UK income tax take for example, is paid by the richest 1%. We need to hang onto them, not start inflicting lefty 'social justice' on them. 

 

 

Income tax is such a tiny proportion of the tax take it would make no difference if they all shoved off, as most of their expenditure isn't in the UK so avoids all indirect taxation. The bulk of the UK tax is paid by the poorest half. Income tax is an irrelevancy, it's just the one everyone notices.

[Mike Todd]

11 hours ago, Philip said:

 

Not really, heritage very much comes after keeping the canals in a workable state for boaters and reasonably easily accessible for towpath users. The heritage is an important aspect and wooden gates are attractive, but they're not necessary; keeping locks working and open for navigation is.

I did not comment on wood v steel, rather on the principle that cost reduction trumps (sorry!) all other objectives. Simply that, as in most things, apparently simple suggestions often have complex consequences and competing claims. 

11 hours ago, MtB said:

 

I've an idea lots of locks are grade 1 listed structures, so changing almost any detail would need Planning Permission (most likely to be refused).

 

God knows how CRT got away with carving that ghastly doggerel on the balance beams at Hillmorton. 

 

 

Listed building consent.

[Jon57]

13 hours ago, Mike Todd said:

There are probably lots of things that could reduce costs, like turning all towpaths into wide flats that a mower can go straight over, like in cemeteries. But the heritage and environmental regs and lobbies would have a fit. In any case, the whole point of the canal network is keeping some semblance of a heturwge alive and kicking. Seems to me that CaRT are trying quite hard to make use if new tech when sensible to do so. But that involves value judgements.

Bit like the temp lock beam repairs that have been in place for age's. Soon they will become heritage status. Crt must be forward thinking 🤣

[peterboat]

15 hours ago, MtB said:

 

For now. 

 

Once the very richest (who are the most globally mobile) start pushing off elsewhere, the remainder of us will be facing massive tax rises just for the UK tax take to stand still.

 

One third of the UK income tax take for example, is paid by the richest 1%. We need to hang onto them, not start inflicting lefty 'social justice' on them. 

 

 

That can't be true Mike, I have been saying it to the lefties on here for days and they just say good riddance to them! Wait until labour has emptied their pockets and they will remember yours and my words