Ashby Canal

[Leo No2]

I read (on the dark side - http://www.narrowboatworld.com/index.php/news-flash/7238-ecologists-want-to-close-ashby-canal) this morning a proposal from Natural England that the Ashby should be closed and the Shakerstone festival stopped. Because I know very little about the Ashby (sadly but I shall make amends) I have to take what I have read at face value for the time being.

 

Having seen Aquarius and Ilford carry their coal around a large (ish) proportion of the system this summer to raise the profile of the Ashby and campaign for more restoration I am saddened by that which I have read. My background is with the Basingstoke, another canal imposed upon, at the 11th hour by Natural England, and read of the issues on the Montgomery. I know how much power they weild (in the main without attending any meetings - that from experience).

 

I do hope there will be huge support for maintaining the Ashby as a navigable canal and that there will be support for its further restoration and the continuation of the Shakerstone festival.

[Guest]

I read (on the dark side - http://www.narrowboatworld.com/index.php/news-flash/7238-ecologists-want-to-close-ashby-canal) this morning a proposal from Natural England that the Ashby should be closed and the Shakerstone festival stopped. Because I know very little about the Ashby (sadly but I shall make amends) I have to take what I have read at face value for the time being.

Having seen Aquarius and Ilford carry their coal around a large (ish) proportion of the system this summer to raise the profile of the Ashby and campaign for more restoration I am saddened by that which I have read. My background is with the Basingstoke, another canal imposed upon, at the 11th hour by Natural England, and read of the issues on the Montgomery. I know how much power they weild (in the main without attending any meetings - that from experience).

I do hope there will be huge support for maintaining the Ashby as a navigable canal and that there will be support for its further restoration and the continuation of the Shakerstone festival.

I can't find any references too this any where else so hopefully it's just NBW up to their normal scaremongering. If not it would be gobsmackinly arrogant of these people to think they can make such a call.

[Leo No2]

I think it was picked up from here (http://nbfreespirit.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/this-is-out-of-order.html) same photo it appears.

[Tonka]

It is also on IWA Facebook page

[cotswoldsman]

All that they are doing is restricting some moorings during the festival it is on the CRT Stoppage Web page as soon as the festival is over the restrictions will be lifted. Seems some are using it for some scaremongering

[cotswoldsman]

I read (on the dark side - http://www.narrowboatworld.com/index.php/news-flash/7238-ecologists-want-to-close-ashby-canal) this morning a proposal from Natural England that the Ashby should be closed and the Shakerstone festival stopped. Because I know very little about the Ashby (sadly but I shall make amends) I have to take what I have read at face value for the time being.

 

Having seen Aquarius and Ilford carry their coal around a large (ish) proportion of the system this summer to raise the profile of the Ashby and campaign for more restoration I am saddened by that which I have read. My background is with the Basingstoke, another canal imposed upon, at the 11th hour by Natural England, and read of the issues on the Montgomery. I know how much power they weild (in the main without attending any meetings - that from experience).

 

I do hope there will be huge support for maintaining the Ashby as a navigable canal and that there will be support for its further restoration and the continuation of the Shakerstone festival.

It is posts like this that start the scaremongering would maybe be best to do some research first Edited August 26, 2014 by cotswoldsman

[KJT]

I certainly hope it's just scaremongering. The Ashby is one of my favourite canals. I sincerely hope that it's just that as there has been quite a bit of restoration of recent years and the current head of navigation is a delightful basin. There are plans afoot that it will be extended to link to the existing short stretch at Moira.

 

Ken

[cotswoldsman]

I certainly hope it's just scaremongering. The Ashby is one of my favourite canals. I sincerely hope that it's just that as there has been quite a bit of restoration of recent years and the current head of navigation is a delightful basin. There are plans afoot that it will be extended to link to the existing short stretch at Moira.

 

Ken

For a 14 day period they are restricting some moorings because of the volume of boats like SB when they have an event moorings can be booked

[cheshire~rose]

Yes they are restricting the moorings for the duration of the event but my understanding of it is that the restrictions will actually mean that a large number of the craft who are already on the way to the event to put their boats on display will have nowhere to mooor when they get there.

 

The restictions on breasting or rafting of boats on moorings will severely affect those who attend the festival to display their boats as at this festival there are areas where historic boats are rafted up four wide.

 

Many of these boats have been attending this event annually for donkeys years. Their presence helps raise the awareness of the restoration of the canal. Yes I am certain them being there has some impact upon the local wildlife but it is just for one weekend.

 

The air display probably causes some disruption to local birds, the steam engines probably cause a bit of local pollution, the people tramping around the site probably cause a bit of damage to the grass and insects underfoot. As far as I am aware it is only the boats that have been targetted because they are going to cause disrution to the fish.

[cotswoldsman]

Yes that is as I understand it but a long way from how some are saying that the Ashby is being closed to all boats with an implication that it is permanent

[cheshire~rose]

Yes that is as I understand it but a long way from how some are saying that the Ashby is being closed to all boats with an implication that it is permanent

 

Agreed. There is no suggestion that The Ashby will be closed to boat traffic.

 

So that makes it all ok does it?

 

Not in my book!

[nicknorman]

Yes that is as I understand it but a long way from how some are saying that the Ashby is being closed to all boats with an implication that it is permanent

However, "thin end of the wedge" springs to mind.

[MtB]

It's still the thin end of a very fat wedge.

 

Once they get the principle of banning boats for a weekend due to disruption to the fish, why stop there? Why not ban boats all through the fish breeding season? And if that, then why not all the time?

 

And why stop at the Ashby?

 

MtB

[cheshire~rose]

I have now managed to find a copy of the leaflet that was being circulated at Alvecote at the weekend:

 

 

EDA I think this photo is coutesy of Viv Scraggs. It was being fairly widely circulated on Facebook over the weekend so I apologise if the credit is incorrect

Edited August 26, 2014 by cheshire~rose

[cotswoldsman]

 

Agreed. There is no suggestion that The Ashby will be closed to boat traffic.

 

So that makes it all ok does it?

 

Not in my book!

I am not saying it is ok, all I was trying to do was to say that it is a 14 day restriction and not as is being said on social networks a permanent closure

[Leo No2]

It is posts like this that start the scaremongering would maybe be best to do some research first

John, I disagree with you 100% on this occasion. I did say that I had taken it at face value and quoted the source - that, IMHO is raising awareness of what's been published and effectively asking if it has any veracity. Having spent 30 years dealing with Natural England over the issues on the Basingstoke Canal I know what can happen and how their imposed restrictions can, whilst not engaging with any of the stakeholders, cause major issues. Forewarned is fore armed in my view; canals are man-made and as such should be enjoyed by those who made them whilst taking due account of the natural environment - there are huge numbers of places that nature created which can be looked after by Natural England.

[cotswoldsman]

It's still the thin end of a very fat wedge.

 

Once they get the principle of banning boats for a weekend due to disruption to the fish, why stop there? Why not ban boats all through the fish breeding season? And if that, then why not all the time?

 

And why stop at the Ashby?

 

MtB

But they have not banned boats. On one stretch they have suspended moorings and said they have to be booked. I am not defending anything just trying to clear up any misunderstanding like people saying things like "banned boats" Edited August 26, 2014 by cotswoldsman

[cotswoldsman]

John, I disagree with you 100% on this occasion. I did say that I had taken it at face value and quoted the source - that, IMHO is raising awareness of what's been published and effectively asking if it has any veracity. Having spent 30 years dealing with Natural England over the issues on the Basingstoke Canal I know what can happen and how their imposed restrictions can, whilst not engaging with any of the stakeholders, cause major issues. Forewarned is fore armed in my view; canals are man-made and as such should be enjoyed by those who made them whilst taking due account of the natural environment - there are huge numbers of places that nature created which can be looked after by Natural England.

I am no fan of Natural England and as i have said it would have been better to give the actual facts for this case on the Ashby Edited August 26, 2014 by cotswoldsman

[MtB]

But they have not banned boats. On one stretch they have suspended moorings and said they have to be booked. I am not defending anything just trying to clear up any misunderstanding like people saying things like "banned boats"

 

Ok, but you are making a remarkably good job of seeming like you support Natural England's efforts to life difficult for boaters!

 

MtB

[magpie patrick]

First, I think the true picture has now been established, that this is a restriction on moorings during an event not a closure to navigation as has been suggested. Whether the restriction is acceptable or not is a matter for debate, it is a long way from being a navigation closure

 

Second, it strikes me on this and so many things CRT are damned of they do and damned if the don't. In this instance it is presumably felt that previous arrangements have not been satisfactory and thus a restriction is needed: resultant bleating of "But we've done it this way for years". And yet, at other times CRT are accused of solving a problem that doesn't exist because "there isn't an issue". TBH far to many complaints, on this forum and in the world in general, amount to "why can't we do what we want?"

 

Third, I don't entirely accept the "thin end of the wedge" argument. because there are two wedges, pro-navigation ones and anti-navigation ones. With any restoration scheme we face the argument from the environmental lobby of "the thin end of the wedge" which is used to obstruct proposals*. Of course it doesn't help that we, as promotors of navigation, usually want to ram that wedge home with proposals of unlimited free-for-all navigation. As navigators, we need to moderate our stance if we want them to moderate theirs

 

In this instance, the navigable canal was declared an SSSI, so Natural England would be on a very sticky wicket banning navigation, but equally the navigation lobby (us) have to accept that this declaration was made on a lightly used waterway. There is a reason the Llangollen ins't a SSSI

 

* I am fully aware of what happened on the Basingstoke, and have been involved at times in trying to resolve it as well as trying to ensure there is no repeat elsewhere

[MtB]

 

* I am fully aware of what happened on the Basingstoke, and have been involved at times in trying to resolve it as well as trying to ensure there is no repeat elsewhere

 

Unlike most of us!

 

What happened on the Basingatoke?

 

 

MtB

[Leo No2]

 

Unlike most of us!

 

What happened on the Basingatoke?

 

 

MtB

 

MtB - At the 11th hour - before the reopening (May-1991) Natural England (as they are now) came along and slapped an SSSI on the entire canal apart from a small bit in the Woking area and put draconian requirements in place - no of boat movements restricted, requirement to obtain authorisation from them for boat rallies/gatherings, no work to be carried out without their approval and the like. There was a Joint Management Committee (great Quango!) which oversees the running of the canal but they steadfastly failed to turn up to any meeting even when the County Councillor chair of the JMC when to see them and ask them to attend. Not once did I see them at any important meeting - they attempted to manage the canal to their requirements from a remote (to the canal) location.

 

They do all that with the powers invested in them by an Act of Parliament - there's no discussion (as far as I could see) just EN dictating what could and couldn't happen.

 

A nightmare for those who restored the canal to the best of their ability which is why I raised the possiblity of the Ashby going down the same route.

[nine9feet]

For those who do not frequent Facebook ( ) I copy below an item by Will Chapman (Save Our Waterways) posted to the Narrowboat Users Group a couple of days ago. Note that I do not know what is fact and what is speculation. It is up to the reader to decide!

 

"Will Chapman OK here, in a nutshell, is what I have found out primarily unofficially. First, don't blame the Festival organisers; they are only following instructions that are being driven by Natural England following a complaint from a 'nature lover' from the area. Many observers point out that the Shackerstone Angling Association has been complaining about the festival for a number of years because they 'can't fish over the weekend' and it is rumoured that they are the source of the complaint to Natural England (NE). NE seem to have gone overboard on their demands and CRT, the Festival, Ashby Canal Association are trying to accommodate them with measures that won't interfere too much with the Festival and normal boating. Whatever they decide, I hope that it all goes to consultation as It is understood that NE have produced a list of 9 conditions which they require to be satisfied before CRT could issue a licence for the Festival to take place. Most of the issues are related to damage to the reed bed on either side of the canal and that explains why double-breasting has been restricted. I understand that NE have also expressed concern about 14 day moorings and the discharge of grey water from boats. Rest assured that CRT Central Shires, the Ashby Canal Association and the Festival committee are on the case. So lets support the Festival in whatever way we can - which doesn't mean boycotting OR blockading it. Personally, as I said in my earlier post, this looks to me like a knee-jerk reaction that whatever it's merits or otherwise should never have happened this year. This event has been going on for more than 20 years; what point is there in rushing into a load of 'rules' that are only going to effect the waterway for a few days. What is needed here is a proper consultation based on carefully reasoned recommendations that pragmatically consider all users, boaters, walkers, cyclist, anglers and wildlife."

[Guest]

Eco mentalists!

 

If true. I am al for the avoidance of reckless and wanton destruction of wildlife but these loonies seem to be completely taking the pee.

 

Have these idiots forgotten what the canal was actually built for, it wasn't to create a linear duck pond it was to put boats on, it wasn't even built as a linear fishing pond, it was to put bluddy boats on.

 

Protect wildlife by all means but what is the point if we can't actually see it ever?

[cotswoldsman]

 

Ok, but you are making a remarkably good job of seeming like you support Natural England's efforts to life difficult for boaters!

 

MtB

MtP you can read it that way if you wish, I think most that read my posts will see that I was simply trying to point out the scaremongering put out by some such as NBW is wrong and there is no danger of the Ashby being closed to boats