Ashton Canal

[journeyperson]

I got this stoppage notice today and it looks as though the Ashton Canal is going to be closed for at least three months! The swing bridge is closed to pedestrians which at first made me think it was permanently open for boats, but if that was the case there wouldn't be a stoppage there. If it is closed to pedestrians why can't it be maneouvred into a position enabling boats to pass?

 

 

 

Yew Tree Swing Bridge

 

Wednesday 21 September 2011 until further notice

 

UPDATE 21ST SEPTEMBER 2011

 

The feasibility into the works required to Yew Tree Swing Bridge is currently being undertaken.

 

British Waterways are unable to say with certainty at this stage when the bridge is likely to re-open. It is anticipated however that we will update this notice by late December 2011 and until then the bridge will remain closed.

 

Pedestrians are advised to use Copperas Lane Bridge as an alternative which is 300m upstream.

 

British Waterways apologise for the inconveneince this may cause.

 

Enquiries: 01782 785703

 

 

[mayalld]

I got this stoppage notice today and it looks as though the Ashton Canal is going to be closed for at least three months! The swing bridge is closed to pedestrians which at first made me think it was permanently open for boats, but if that was the case there wouldn't be a stoppage there. If it is closed to pedestrians why can't it be maneouvred into a position enabling boats to pass?

 

 

Already mentioned to DeanS, as he was travelling that way today.

 

Two possibilities;

 

1) Writing the stoppage notice was delegated to the cleaner

2) The bridge has suffered damage such that it cannot be swung either open or closed.

[journeyperson]

Already mentioned to DeanS, as he was travelling that way today.

 

Two possibilities;

 

1) Writing the stoppage notice was delegated to the cleaner

2) The bridge has suffered damage such that it cannot be swung either open or closed.

 

Ok, I hadn't looked at that thread but I have now. You would think though, that if repairs are going to take at least 3 months a crane could be brought in to lift it out of the way.

 

Surely they wouldn't issue a stoppage notice to boaters if the way is permanently unstopped - would they?

[rgreg]

So the answer to the original question is?

[DeanS]

Thanks for this Dave and others. I made it to Manchester successfully

[rgreg]

So were there no problems Dean? I'm coming that way next week

[DeanS]

So were there no problems Dean? I'm coming that way next week

 

I had no problems with any stoppages, but I was past the Droyden marina (before the locks begin) by last night, so I may have just scraped through. This morning I put my top box and other things inside the cratch (it was so full you couldnt squeeze a mouse in there...and I had FIL's kayak in the lounge area., and prepared myself for the worst (bridge height wise). We made it through by inches The locks were no problem. Even met a forum member coming the other way which was great. Actually now you have me thinking....if HE reads this.....he would have been heading towards the stoppage...so he may respond to this thread at some point...you never know

 

Already mentioned to DeanS, as he was travelling that way today.

 

Two possibilities;

 

1) Writing the stoppage notice was delegated to the cleaner

2) The bridge has suffered damage such that it cannot be swung either open or closed.

 

 

Dont know if it was the same one, but we did move a swing bridge today and there was nothing wrong with it....I think it was between locks 18 and 16 or thereabouts.

Edited September 21, 2011 by DeanS

[safsnowball]

Latest from Waterscape

 

 

Stoppage: Ashton Canal, Yew Tree Swing Bridge

05 Aug 2011 until further notice

Associated Regional Office: Manchester & Pennine Waterways

Immobilised until further notice in open to canal position. Anticipated duration of stoppage is 4 weeks approximately and an update will be posted during the week commencing 22nd August 2011.

British Waterways apologise for any inconvenience caused.

[journeyperson]

Latest from Waterscape

 

 

Stoppage: Ashton Canal, Yew Tree Swing Bridge

05 Aug 2011 until further notice

Associated Regional Office: Manchester & Pennine Waterways

Immobilised until further notice in open to canal position. Anticipated duration of stoppage is 4 weeks approximately and an update will be posted during the week commencing 22nd August 2011.

British Waterways apologise for any inconvenience caused.

 

That clarifies it and precedes the notice I saw today which now makes sense. I wasn't aware of this earlier notice.

[MartinClark]

Another example of unhelpfully ambiguous communications from BW!

 

The updates usually show the original stoppage notice quoted below the updated info, which would have helped. It would have been even more helpful not to call it a stoppage but some other kind of notice, and to spell out precisely what the situation was on the ground.

[billh]

Already mentioned to DeanS, as he was travelling that way today.

 

Two possibilities;

 

1) Writing the stoppage notice was delegated to the cleaner

2) The bridge has suffered damage such that it cannot be swung either open or closed.

3)All part of the long running BW plan to dissuade anyone from boating on North West canals- declaring a Stoppage when the canal isn't actually closed. Seems, if anything, to be a stoppage of Buxton Lane, which must surely be the concern of the local authority, not BW.

The other week , we arrived at Dale St from the Ashton to find a notice pinned to the balance beam of the Rochdale "Nine" top lock which said Locks 1 to 18 were closed until further notice ( without specifying which canal this referred to!) . If it was the Ashton 18 then clearly it didn't apply at the time, but anyone coming up the Nine might be tempted to turn back on seeing this.

With reference to 1), the cleaner probably has more local knowledge of the canal system than the official "Stoppage Notice Production Officer"

Bill

[journeyperson]

3)All part of the long running BW plan to dissuade anyone from boating on North West canals- declaring a Stoppage when the canal isn't actually closed. Seems, if anything, to be a stoppage of Buxton Lane, which must surely be the concern of the local authority, not BW.

The other week , we arrived at Dale St from the Ashton to find a notice pinned to the balance beam of the Rochdale "Nine" top lock which said Locks 1 to 18 were closed until further notice ( without specifying which canal this referred to!) . If it was the Ashton 18 then clearly it didn't apply at the time, but anyone coming up the Nine might be tempted to turn back on seeing this.

With reference to 1), the cleaner probably has more local knowledge of the canal system than the official "Stoppage Notice Production Officer"

Bill

 

It depends on your definition of "North West", to some people Birmingham is getting a bit too far North and West to be comfortable. I do a lot of boating on the northern section of the Shropshire Union which is in North West England and that is by no means neglected by BW, I regularly see groups of management touring the leafy rural towpath and supervising armies of maintenance workers.

 

Where I have experienced problems this year has been areas like the Ashton 18, the Rochdale up out of Manchester and the L&L up out of Leeds, all areas where a high profile is required in difficult and unattractive surroundings dealing with stressed boaters. Management are nowhere to be seen although the BW men on the ground in those places are always very helpful.