Major breach at Whitchurch on Llangollen

[MtB]

29 minutes ago, Jon57 said:

Apparently the local council is picking up some of the cost of accommodation and transport costs. Possibly from the Bellwin system if its a major incident. 

 

I'd have thought housing benefit picks up the tab for poor people made unintentionally homeless. 

 

For people rich enough not to qualify and who chose not to insure against homelessness, I'd say they are on their own. CRT are under no obligation to re-home anyone living on a boat with a pleasure boat licence. 

 

For a houseboat licence the position is probably less clear.

[Jon57]

20 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

I'd have thought housing benefit picks up the tab for poor people made unintentionally homeless. 

 

For people rich enough not to qualify and who chose not to insure against homelessness, I'd say they are on their own. CRT are under no obligation to re-home anyone living on a boat with a pleasure boat licence. 

 

For a houseboat licence the position is probably less clear.

My comments are about this specific case not general conditions. 

[Momac]

I think C&RT should be  held liable in this case for all of the losses of the narrowboaters who have lost their boats in this event  including emotional and financial losses . 

This way the government may realise that canals require additional funding to avoid similar future losses.

Due to C&RT under funding the canals are clearly no longer safe and should be closed to navigation with effect as soon as is reasonably possible. 

[ditchcrawler]

9 minutes ago, Momac said:

I think C&RT should be  held liable in this case for all of the losses of the narrowboaters who have lost their boats in this event  including emotional and financial losses . 

This way the government may realise that canals require additional funding to avoid similar future losses.

Due to C&RT under funding the canals are clearly no longer safe and should be closed to navigation with effect as soon as is reasonably possible. 

From Facebook Norbury Wharf are offering their hire boats for accommodation if required and will also help with transport.

[Momac]

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

From Facebook Norbury Wharf are offering their hire boats for accommodation if required and will also help with transport.

If so they should be compensated fully by C&RT.

 

 

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, Momac said:

If so they should be compensated fully by C&RT.

 

 

Why? 

 

The whole problem has come about because CRT is grossly underfunded and any money paid out in compensation will result in even less preventative maintenance being carried out.

 

 

 

Is that what you want?

 

 

[Elf]

Old map circa 1884 showing a sluice at our area of interest.

 

Copyright ack to NLS

 

[Laurie Booth]

 

[Alan de Enfield]

6 minutes ago, MtB said:

..............will result in even less preventative maintenance being carried out.

 

Is that possible - it appears that almost all of C&RTs maintenance spend is going on 'reactive work'

[Momac]

11 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

 

 

 

Is that what you want?

 

 

Yes

100% C&RT should be held liable.

[GoodGurl]

19 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Why? 

 

The whole problem has come about because CRT is grossly underfunded and any money paid out in compensation will result in even less preventative maintenance being carried out.

 

 

 

Is that what you want?

 

 

is this the turning point where CRT and the goverment say it should be put out to private tender ?

[Stroudwater1]

34 minutes ago, Momac said:

Yes

100% C&RT should be held liable.

I suspect you could be accused of jumping the gun a bit too given we don’t actually know the cause of this yet. There have been breeches through time pre CRT, some when funding was reasonably good. 

[MtB]

49 minutes ago, Momac said:

Yes

100% C&RT should be held liable.

 

Lol, how sweet that you should think this!

 

Your opinion counts for jack shit however. Its what the law says that counts.

 

 

[David Mack]

42 minutes ago, GoodGurl said:

is this the turning point where CRT and the goverment say it should be put out to private tender ?

Given the limited amount of money which government has made available to CRT, why would any commercial organisation be interested in bidding for the 'opportunity'?  Quite apart from the fact that CRT has a 10 year (?) funding agreement in place, so there is no opportunity to offer the waterways to anyone else unless CRT choose to hand back the keys. And despite their problems, we are a long way from that point.

[MtB]

46 minutes ago, GoodGurl said:

<whatever>

 

Welcome back, you! 

 

Where have you bin?!! 

 

 

[David Mack]

55 minutes ago, Momac said:

Yes

100% C&RT should be held liable.

The affected boaters have all accepted CRT's licence terms and conditions, which effectively absolve CRT of any such responsibility. The boaters' insurance will cover the costs of boat recovery and repair (or write off), depending on the extent of cover in each case. Beyond that the affected boaters have no recourse against CRT or anyone else, although help has already been offered by the local authority, CRT, Norbury Wharf and others.

[junior]

9 hours ago, Momac said:

I think C&RT should be  held liable in this case for all of the losses of the narrowboaters who have lost their boats in this event  including emotional and financial losses . 

 

But what if CRT are not liable?

[robtheplod]

This has certainly raised the profile of the UK canals... countries all over seem to be covering it and that must be a good thing.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

2 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

This has certainly raised the profile of the UK canals... countries all over seem to be covering it and that must be a good thing.

No such thing as bad publicity. 😀

[robtheplod]

Just now, Jen-in-Wellies said:

No such thing as bad publicity. 😀

maybe a renewed interest and awareness will beef up bookings for next Summer?  fingers crossed....

[Tonka]

9 hours ago, MtB said:

 

Why? 

 

The whole problem has come about because CRT is grossly underfunded and any money paid out in compensation will result in even less preventative maintenance being carried out.

 

 

 

Is that what you want?

 

 

Cheaper to fill them in

Which I think is what he wants

[Jen-in-Wellies]

2 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

maybe a renewed interest and awareness will beef up bookings for next Summer?  fingers crossed....

But not on the Llangollen, unless the hire boat companies go for the adventure holiday market. 

Ride the Whitchurch Flume!

[MtB]

22 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

This has certainly raised the profile of the UK canals... countries all over seem to be covering it and that must be a good thing.

 

I was thinking this too, and wondering what propelled this breach into being picked up by the mainstream media news reporting machine when previous breaches have been ignored by it. 

 

I think it's the photos and videos of the boats down in the hole. The Bridgewater breach was possibly even bigger than this but without boats in the hole, and pictures, it was not as newsworthy as this one. 

 

Paradoxically, the coverage could possibly create a new awakening of public support for more government funding of the waterways network.

 

 

 

 

 

[Ogwr]

Ia any freedom of Information available;e om CRT inspections for the Lllangollen and other canals ?

Are there records of breach sites identified as vulnerable?

My father used to say that a fart in a Concorde  factory would erase any maintenance backlog  I think the same could be said of HS2 today

 

[magnetman]

19 minutes ago, Ogwr said:

Ia any freedom of Information available;e om CRT inspections for the Lllangollen and other canals ?

Are there records of breach sites identified as vulnerable?

My father used to say that a fart in a Concorde  factory would erase any maintenance backlog  I think the same could be said of HS2 today

 

The must be a reason for the small bit of fencing which was installed about 2ft from where the towpath was lost during the breach. It's not been put there one night by the elves. 

 

 

It's not an unauthorised fence it's there for a reason. Probably to stop people falling in a hole... 

Here it is again. (Image from CNN)