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Bosley locks


Gareth E

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I see that other waterways in the north, previously closed due to lack of water , have now re opened. Not a word about Bosley though. Assuming the reservoirs that serve the canal have recovered a little, following a fair amount for rain over the past month, what can the justification be to keep the locks closed? Surely they could be opened for at least a couple of days a week, if the reservoir levels need to recover further? After all, boat traffic is now much lighter than 2 weeks ago. Also the fact that Marple locks are closed make Bosley more important, as boaters are trapped.

 

What's going on?

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I've just called CRT. They say that despite the rain we've had over the past month the reservoirs are at a level where locks are inoperable, and wildlife is threatened. The weather forecast for the next month makes it very unlikely that the locks will be able to open, even for limited passage, before the end of October. Best case scenario is that they will be able to open a few days before the stoppage planned for early November. This is not guaranteed. If there's insufficient rain no passage will be possible before the winter works go ahead, meaning the locks will remain closed until December. I'm told they've brought forward some of the repairs due this winter. Quite why these can't all be done during the next 6 weeks or so, so the canal could re open early November with no further works due remains a mystery.

 

So there you have it.

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1 hour ago, Gareth E said:

I've just called CRT. They say that despite the rain we've had over the past month the reservoirs are at a level where locks are inoperable, and wildlife is threatened. The weather forecast for the next month makes it very unlikely that the locks will be able to open, even for limited passage, before the end of October. Best case scenario is that they will be able to open a few days before the stoppage planned for early November. This is not guaranteed. If there's insufficient rain no passage will be possible before the winter works go ahead, meaning the locks will remain closed until December. I'm told they've brought forward some of the repairs due this winter. Quite why these can't all be done during the next 6 weeks or so, so the canal could re open early November with no further works due remains a mystery.

 

So there you have it.

That is, of course, Bovine Excrement.

 

I've been up to Sutton Reservoir, and levels have recovered enough to operate the locks.

 

However, I don't believe that they have completed the gate replacement works that were brought forward.

 

More to the point, it appears that despite the low levels, Coombs Sailing Club continues to have a full programme of events on Coombs Reservoir.

 

Let's get down to brass tacks here. They have our money, and the have Terms and Conditions that say we can't have it back if they close the canal. They also rent use of the reservoirs out to other people. Sailing Clubs don't have licences, they pay rent. It's contractual rather than statutory, and CRT know that if the run the water out of Coombs so the sailing club can't sail, no court in the land would enforce the Sailing Club paying its rent.

 

They have sold the water twice over (remember how people kicked the airlines for this kind of stuff). Once to people who can't get a refund, and once to people who can. Who do you think they supply a service to?

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That's not the story they gave me when I rang, but sounds more likely.  We are pottering around the Macc this week as we can't delay taking the holiday from work any more, it's strangely quiet, one boat on the Macc pontoon moorings and none at all at Gurnett.  The weather probably hasn't helped, lots of rain, naturally.  We were limited also by lack of elsan and rubbish facilities at that end, it would have been nice if CRT could have put a skip next to the Macc water point as we can't use the facilites at Bosley.    

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1 hour ago, b0atman said:

Gareth E CRT and common sense .they Have already had one closure on Bosley for work so should be well aware whats required as you say fetching work forward is a no brainer.

 

Just remember that C&RT have no labour or equipment left (everything sold off at auction - right down to shovels and brushes)

Such work is contracted out to commercial companies such as Kier / May Gurney.

 

They will have agreed a plan and Kier will have allocated time and resources based on the dates given, they will be utilising their resources elsewhere and will not be able to re-schedule works 'at the drop of a hat'.

C&RT have to take their place in the queue, they are a 'small customer' and have little influence compared to the likes of building the 7.5km Lincoln Bye-Pass at a cost of £120m

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Not great is it. I'm going away for 5 weeks at the end of the month. I'd arranged a friend on the upper Macc to move my boat around so I don't overstay. I'm now faced with either overstaying, possibly twice depending on when the data chap visits, or pay 200 quid to put it in a marina. Not very happy. 

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Boaters stuck on the Macc upper level, boaters trying to get to the upper level, canal side businesses on the upper level suffering badly, I could go on. It's an understatement to say that most of us involved in boating are generally not happy with CRT.

But there is less boating traffic on the Macc so the fishermen are happier (relative to their usual happiness state), wildlife will be less disturbed, walkers and cyclists won't notice much difference. There will be less damage to repair.

If you are a non-boater then you might not disapprove of the situation brought about by CRT's ineptitude - but you are probably not paying anything into CRT's coffers.

If you are a boater, paying a large amount of money to CRT, then you should have every right to criticise and challenge their competence if travelling the system, already curtailed during much of the year, becomes impossible.

PS I had to curtail my summer holiday to return early to the Macc upper level where I am now 'trapped'.

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9 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

Is that actually necessary if you can't go where you intended because of the stoppage(s)? Have you (or anyone else) sought CRT's official view on this? 

I don't know really. If I do 'abandon' it it will be on the lower Macc. I'd imagine that CRT would say that there is more than 1 mooring option on the lower Macc, or there is the Trent and Mersey, not affected by stoppages. I was considering contacting the enforcement officer though. 

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11 minutes ago, Gareth E said:

I guess the point is that I planned and made provision to keep within their requirements. Matters that are outside my control have scuppered this. Should I now be expected to pay because of this? It's a tricky one. 

 

I am in two minds.

 

Yes you made provision to keep moving "enough" to keep under the radar.

 

However that provision was actually based upon a need to be in a specific area for a period of time, so it was about keeping under the radar rather than fully complying.

 

Is there some reason that the arrangements you made on the upper pound won't work on the lower?

 

If you are away for 5 weeks, he would need to make 2 moves.

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1 minute ago, mayalld said:

 

I am in two minds.

 

Yes you made provision to keep moving "enough" to keep under the radar.

 

However that provision was actually based upon a need to be in a specific area for a period of time, so it was about keeping under the radar rather than fully complying.

 

Is there some reason that the arrangements you made on the upper pound won't work on the lower?

 

If you are away for 5 weeks, he would need to make 2 moves.

Yes the other boater is without a home mooring but has a concession to be in one area because of health issues. He is still required to move but within a smaller area. The plan was for him to moor next to him, he would move mine after his and walk back with his dog.  

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7 minutes ago, Gareth E said:

Yes the other boater is without a home mooring but has a concession to be in one area because of health issues. He is still required to move but within a smaller area. The plan was for him to moor next to him, he would move mine after his and walk back with his dog.  

Have you secured the same concession to move and remain within a 'small area', or is your friend going to move you outside of his normal 'small area' ?

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2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Have you secured the same concession to move and remain within a 'small area', or is your friend going to move you outside of his normal 'small area' ?

It's only for a few weeks, there's no requirement to range far and wide all of the time. I have a range over the licence period that far exceeds CRT's minimum guideline. 

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6 minutes ago, Gareth E said:

Yes the other boater is without a home mooring but has a concession to be in one area because of health issues. He is still required to move but within a smaller area. The plan was for him to moor next to him, he would move mine after his and walk back with his dog.  

So, your intention was that rather than CCing, your boat would move in a limited area, although you have no concession enabling this?

 

Whilst I have a little sympathy, because you haven't just taken the attitude of "they will have to lump it", the arrangements that you made were did depend on everything coming together, and weren't robust.

 

The whole essence of licencing as a CCer is that you don't take a mooring because you don't need one. For a 5 week period that isn't true, and you actually do need a mooring.

 

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2 minutes ago, Gareth E said:

It's only for a few weeks, there's no requirement to range far and wide all of the time. I have a range over the licence period that far exceeds CRT's minimum guideline. 

That's great, no problem then.

If your log is up-to-date you can prove your range to the C&RT enforcement team and you shouldn't have any problems.

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49 minutes ago, mayalld said:

The whole essence of licencing as a CCer is that you don't take a mooring because you don't need one. For a 5 week period that isn't true, and you actually do need a mooring. 

 

How does that work in practice?  You're still really a CCer, but if you got, say, a farm mooring for five weeks, which would seem to be the logical solution, would you have to get a mooring permit from CRT for that period?  I suppose that in a marina, the fees would automatically cover you.

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1 hour ago, Arthur Marshall said:

How does that work in practice?  You're still really a CCer, but if you got, say, a farm mooring for five weeks, which would seem to be the logical solution, would you have to get a mooring permit from CRT for that period?  I suppose that in a marina, the fees would automatically cover you.

As I understand it, every time you take a new home mooring (eg a paid for visitor mooring, marina or farm) you are supposed to inform CaRT and change from CC to HM. When you leave you are the expected to inform them again and resume being CC. 

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3 hours ago, Arthur Marshall said:

How does that work in practice?  You're still really a CCer, but if you got, say, a farm mooring for five weeks, which would seem to be the logical solution, would you have to get a mooring permit from CRT for that period?  I suppose that in a marina, the fees would automatically cover you.

I don't suppose there's room at yours is there, 35ft boat?

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4 hours ago, Gareth E said:

I don't suppose there's room at yours is there, 35ft boat?

There is, I think, but the farmer doesn't allow living on, apart from the odd night here and there, and usually only rents on an annual basis. I'll be down there this week so if I see him I'll ask, or I can pm you his number if you like,which might be quicker. He's a friendly soul.... It's a mile south of Congleton station. 

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