Towpath improvements

[Hawkmoth]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/iobk0mlzdg3sou5/towpath.jpg?dl=0

 

It seems that CRT are not paying for the towpath improvements around here.

Bob

[matty40s]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/iobk0mlzdg3sou5/towpath.jpg?dl=0

 

It seems that CRT are not paying for the towpath improvements around here.

Bob

Th same is happening everywhere, most of the new cycle motorways in Birmingham are council funded.

[DHutch]

Th same is happening everywhere, most of the new cycle motorways in Birmingham are council funded.

Ditto around Manchester.

 

The only shame at times is where they tarmac upto the coping stones, preventing easy mooring.

 

 

Daniel

[Hawkmoth]

It's just that there seemed to be a fair number of complaints on here that CRT's money should go elsewhere instead of paying for "cycle superhighways". I agree with that.

It does look as if a great number of the improvements are not paid for by licence payer's money. Good!

Bob

[cuthound]

Ditto around Manchester.

The only shame at times is where they tarmac upto the coping stones, preventing easy mooring.

Daniel

Looks like you need to take a Kango with you. Should make mooring up a doddle where there is tarmac

 

Edited for spilling.

Edited March 5, 2016 by cuthound

[Hawkmoth]

^^^Greenie

[Guest]

Like like you need to take a Kango with you. Should make mooring up a doddle where there is tarmac

Although clearly tongue in cheek you do have to ask what CRT are thinking about allowing their towpaths (clue is in the name) to be surfaced like this if there is no means to properly secure a boat. By all means surface them but that work should include the fixing of bollards or at the very least rings. No doubt however these have been deemed a 'trip' hazard for walkers and joggers.

 

It is certainly creating temptation for boaters to find some way of securing their boats even if this would mean causing damage to the surface...

 

An example of justified criticism of CRT I would say.

[b0atman]

just hammer the pins in

[Paul C]

Does the section of towpath in question have piling? If so, then there's a non-issue regarding no rings provided, since its easy enough to use a nappy pin on the piling. If not, then they should really include the installation of rings with the towpath surface improvement work, and CRT should be overseeing that this is in the plans, and installed. I wonder if its planned to add in rings later?

[MtB]

Ditto around Manchester.

 

The only shame at times is where they tarmac upto the coping stones, preventing easy mooring.

 

 

Daniel

 

 

Have you tried hammering a mooring stake into tarmac? I suspect it might be easier than everyone thinks, the tarmac being quite plastic.

 

(I haven't BTW, it just looks to me as though it would work.)

Does the section of towpath in question have piling? If so, then there's a non-issue regarding no rings provided, since its easy enough to use a nappy pin on the piling. If not, then they should really include the installation of rings with the towpath surface improvement work, and CRT should be overseeing that this is in the plans, and installed. I wonder if its planned to add in rings later?

 

 

I'd like to see you do that on the piling CRT installed on the towpath just north of Cropredy.

 

There is piling, but no horizontal rail to put the nappy pin behind, so mooring stakes still have to be used.

[Paul C]

OK replace "piling" with "piling with a horizontal rail so a nappy pin can be clipped on"

[Athy]

Isn't it called "Armco"? That's what we call it.

[MtB]

Isn't it called "Armco"? That's what we call it.

 

 

Yes, I know the horizontal rail as Armco. I notice more and more piling these days without Armco. I've been idly casting around for a solution.

[dogless]

Yes, I know the horizontal rail as Armco. I notice more and more piling these days without Armco. I've been idly casting around for a solution.

Moor somewhere else

 

Sorry I couldn't resist, you teed it up so well.

Rog

[Mike Todd]

Although clearly tongue in cheek you do have to ask what CRT are thinking about allowing their towpaths (clue is in the name) to be surfaced like this if there is no means to properly secure a boat. By all means surface them but that work should include the fixing of bollards or at the very least rings. No doubt however these have been deemed a 'trip' hazard for walkers and joggers.

 

It is certainly creating temptation for boaters to find some way of securing their boats even if this would mean causing damage to the surface...

 

An example of justified criticism of CRT I would say.

Not always for cyclists. The towpath in London was hard covered to the edge quite some while back to allow various services to be laid underground - as one boater discovered to their cost a year or so go when they hammered a spike into a crack only to sever a high voltage cable! Or so the urban myth goes.

[Detling]

in Aylesbury they fitted rings but someone tripped over and they were all cut off so now the only place you can actually tie up is the water point (there are three of these) as the finger pontoons are occupied by boats that move rapidly and return whilst you are looking the other way.

[Detling]

When walking the regents canal the other day some enterprising fellow had drilled the concrete and used expanding bolts to moor with. Only problem was he had used little ones 6mm Dia and about 1 inch sticking out to tie to so IMHO rather flimsy. But a boat near by, 50 footer at least, was tied to one ring about 10 foot from the stern with a stern line and a centre line, the bow was left to swing (I wonder if he shouts SLOW DOWN)

[DHutch]

Have you tried hammering a mooring stake into tarmac? I suspect it might be easier than everyone thinks, the tarmac being quite plastic.

 

Not yet, I expect it can be done as you suggest, and in due course I expect I may find myself with little other choice than to test the theory as the new towpaths are going in so fast it is only a matter of time before they get between me an a planned stop.

 

It just seems a shame, not overly friendly, and also cannot help surface run-off. Why not leave 18 inches of grass whenever space allows, which typically it does.

 

 

Daniel

[Batavia]

 

 

Yes, I know the horizontal rail as Armco. I notice more and more piling these days without Armco. I've been idly casting around for a solution.

What about using a girder clamp - they have a large hole through the casting, parallel to the bolt?

 

Chris G

[Paul C]

in Aylesbury they fitted rings but someone tripped over and they were all cut off so now the only place you can actually tie up is the water point (there are three of these) as the finger pontoons are occupied by boats that move rapidly and return whilst you are looking the other way.

 

I've seen rings fitted to piling/armco where it was basically on the edge, so that it was not a trip hazard. It obviously depends on the available width of the towpath and the density of (towpath) traffic, but ideally you'd have the main path a couple of feet away from the edge and in this couple of feet, grass. If they choose to tarmac this bit then subsequently fitting rings will be a trip hazard. I took it that, if they tarmac'd to the edge, its normally because its quite narrow, but it would be good to see pics.

[Hawkmoth]

Does the lack of mooring at these newly improved towpaths show a lack of joined up thinking at CRT or is it a deliberate policy to, perhaps, make some areas unattractive to boaters?

Bob

[Arthur Marshall]

Does the lack of mooring at these newly improved towpaths show a lack of joined up thinking at CRT or is it a deliberate policy to, perhaps, make some areas unattractive to boaters?

Bob

I think the latter is the paranoid theory, rather than the usual cock-up which is normal for outsourcing stuff. If CRT were doing it, they would be aware of boats, but it isn't. Councils are interesting in walkers and cyclists and wouldn't want the added expense of putting rings or bollards in. Possibly the local canal societies should get involved - most of the rings etc on the Shroppie have been done by the SU canal society, not BW, CRT or the councils. Possibly more boaters should get involved in their local canal societies instead of grumbling that everyone else is doing stuff for them (NB I am not accusing anyone here of doing such a terrible thing as whinging, you understand, so don't start a fight. I've got a trombone and I'm not afraid to use it.)

[Hawkmoth]

I think the latter is the paranoid theory, rather than the usual cock-up which is normal for outsourcing stuff. If CRT were doing it, they would be aware of boats, but it isn't. Councils are interesting in walkers and cyclists and wouldn't want the added expense of putting rings or bollards in. Possibly the local canal societies should get involved - most of the rings etc on the Shroppie have been done by the SU canal society, not BW, CRT or the councils. Possibly more boaters should get involved in their local canal societies instead of grumbling that everyone else is doing stuff for them (NB I am not accusing anyone here of doing such a terrible thing as whinging, you understand, so don't start a fight. I've got a trombone and I'm not afraid to use it.)

Greenie to you

[Higgs]

Greenie to you

 

 

For which bit of that post. - Disinterested incompetent councils, disinterested incompetent CRT, or, for telling boaters they should think nothing of it and do the work themselves.

[Hawkmoth]

I'm sure it was clear. Boaters do need to get more involved. Too many, and I include myself, sat back and expected CRT to have the money to do everything. It now looks like that isn't true.

I feel they could do more, but more help from the boating fraternity may well help.

The councils seem to provide money to upgrade towpaths, but if the Shropshire folk can do it then why not others.