Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal gets £2m of repairs

[Ray T]

From the BBC:

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-34697858

 

[Murflynn]

good news - I love the Mon & Brec.

 

It could do with a bit more traffic in the southern section to keep it clear of weed. I got stuck about 3 miles north of Ponytymoile when I went through in June. If they ever manage to get the canal restored all the way to Newport it will be accessible to anyone who is prepared to cross the Bristol Channel.

[robert anthony]

Hopefully they're going to do lots of dredging as well. Our hire boat was scraping along the bottom in lots of places last time we went. ?

[Southern Star]

I've never been to the Mon & Brec but I quite fancy it one day. Obviously I'd have to take the boat there on my lorry and get it craned in. I'm curious as to whether there are many privately owned boats on it, and also whether CRT interpret continuous cruising requirements differently, since constantly shuttling up and down any other 35 mile canal stretch would probably yank their chain?

[Murflynn]

I've never been to the Mon & Brec but I quite fancy it one day. Obviously I'd have to take the boat there on my lorry and get it craned in. I'm curious as to whether there are many privately owned boats on it.

Just look at the canal on Google Earth. There are hundreds of boats (including some apparent live-aboards at Goytre Wharf marina) and at each of the villages, some of which have their own boat clubs. They all seem to be on fixed moorings, there is no serious cruising on this short canal, but plenty of boats are used at weekends and holidays.

 

I can trail my boat so I found myself to be one of the few private cruising boats.

 

My boat draws about 2ft and grounded regularly.

[robert anthony]

There are loads of privately owned boats on there, I can't see the point in it myself but each to their own.

[craftycarper]

My boat was on there when I bought it, at goytre marina, beautiful place though the misses said it was like the Blair witch project at night, my boat only draws around 18" and it was scraping the bottom most of the time, also ther was not much room for passing other boats or turning round, and after about six months I could,nt wait to get gone, if I had a 24ft cabin cruiser on a trailer I would probably go there for holidays, but don't think unless I lived really close to it that I would want to be moored there again, lastly if your drawing fresh water for cooling there is a couple of foot of decaying leaves on the bottom so wise to keep an eye on the tempature gauge

[Allan(nb Albert)]

This waterway has over 300 known leaks and a propensity to breach. A while ago CaRT told DEFRA that it may wish to close sections on safety grounds until money became available for repair. From that point of view, it is good to see some spend.

 

However, BW are on record as saying that it needs between £20m and £60mm to put the waterway on a sustainable footing and that there is a long term problem with water supply.

 

The reason this waterway is so shallow is that dredging may cause further structural problems.

Edited November 4, 2015 by Allan(nb Albert)

[lydfordcastle]

I can't see the point in it myself but each to their own.

 

Neither can I. I know it's an area of outstanding natural beauty and SSSI and all that green crap but what is the point of spending millions of pounds on a canal that very few boaters actually use? Scarce funds, especially when contributed by boaters etc nationwide would be better and more fairly utilised if spent on something that would benefit the majority like the Lichfield and Hatherton perhaps. It seems to me that the main beneficiaries of C&RT's largesse in this area are the small number of hire boat companies and visiting tourists. I'd like to see the whole kit and caboodle split off from C&RT and made to stand in it's own puddling clay. Perhaps it should be offered FOC to a consortium of local current benficiaries who would then be responsible for collecting the local license fees etc and raising their own finance for repairing the frequent breaches and leaks.

[Allan(nb Albert)]

Neither can I. I know it's an area of outstanding natural beauty and SSSI and all that green crap but what is the point of spending millions of pounds on a canal that very few boaters actually use? Scarce funds, especially when contributed by boaters etc nationwide would be better and more fairly utilised if spent on something that would benefit the majority like the Lichfield and Hatherton perhaps. It seems to me that the main beneficiaries of C&RT's largesse in this area are the small number of hire boat companies and visiting tourists. I'd like to see the whole kit and caboodle split off from C&RT and made to stand in it's own puddling clay. Perhaps it should be offered FOC to a consortium of local current benficiaries who would then be responsible for collecting the local license fees etc and raising their own finance for repairing the frequent breaches and leaks.

After the virtual collapse of the All Wales Waterways Partnership and its reformation with CaRT's vice chair Lynne Berry in charge, I guess that CaRT will slog on with this waterway. I don't see Wales going the same way as Scotland due to the Llangollen being connected.

[emm]

It's a very busy canal. 6 hire bases, 4 marinas and at least 2 boat clubs.

I defy anyone to name a more scenic waterway.

If we're getting rid of quiet routes then maybe we should start with the GU north of Knowle?

[Murflynn]

................ there is a long term problem with water supply.

 

 

I thought it was fed directly from the River Usk near Brecon, but maybe I'm mistaken.

[Allan(nb Albert)]

I thought it was fed directly from the River Usk near Brecon, but maybe I'm mistaken.

It is.

 

However, under the Habitats Regulations Directive affecting the Usk Special Area for Conservation, the Environment Agency have proposed abstraction restrictions from the river that would seriously affect the canal requiring the closure of large sections at peak time on a regular basis.