IT WAS THE Mayor of London who told of the 'toxic air' given off by narrowboats in the city.
His phone-in having people telling the stench can be smelled inside houses, with runners no longer using the towpaths because of it.
The 'toxic air' being created by the smoke from old diesel engines and from stoves used by liveaboard narrowboaters in London, of which Canal & River Trust states there were 4,000 such narrowboats in the city by 2020, many now pouring out the stench.
And of course, wherever there are such narrowboats moored along towpaths there is the 'toxic air'.
Mind you there are those, like out Keith, who rely more on solar panels so cut it down.
Anyway, I have to ask—what price the 'spending time by water can make you feel happier and healthier', and the 'wellbeing' it gives?
The 'wellbeing' was supposed to be the result of scientific investigation, but I have always had my doubts of such, and just wonder where the results were gathered—if at all—not in London, that's for sure.
And. And indeed, what if that 4,000 narrowboats in 2022, told by the trust, was one of its 'special' statistics...and if so, it has come back to bite?
New licensing commission
So a new licensing commission is on its way, and it's independent (now where have I heard that before?)
There are three members of this commission, one being a representative of Canal & River Trust. Then when it has actively engaged with boaters and other trust stakeholders, it will present it's decision.
Then we are told it will be overseen by a constituted boating sub-committee of the Canal & River Trust Board and chaired by the trust’s chairman.
Independent? Who are they kidding? Certainly not me.
And with our Keith telling 'this licensing lark will fool no one—does CaRT think we are stupid? The decision has already been made'. Good on you, Keith.
You can't moor it there
It was mayhem on the M25 motorway when a boat slipped from its trailer and landed smack in the middle of the anticlockwise motorway.
This occurred on a busy afternoon at 4.30pm and not only caused 10 miles of congestion and many missing their flights as at that part the motorway served Gatwick Airport.
There was just one lane out of four that was open, with it all being cleared two hours later at 6.30pm. Photograph by National Highways.
Can't understand why
There is little doubt that the age of the mobile has given the former vandals something else to occupy themselves, that is with the exception of those by the Erewash Canal.
There have always been people along that waterway who enjoy opening paddles to allow a pound to drain, that must have been passed down generation to generation!
It was way back when the Erewash came into leisure use that this first occurred, with anti vandal locks fitted to all the paddles. But alas they have become broken one way or another with now virtually none working, and the vandals having free rein.
In Keith reporting this yet again, with the pound drained between Greens and Potters locks, he asks—When will they learn that they need to replace the anti vandal locks along this canal?
And so the long closures
It's a bad one for the South Stratford Canal that a lock on the Wilmcote Flight has suffered, according to Canal & River Trust, a loss of support from its anchor and a detachment of the quoin, rendering the gate inoperable.
The result being the gate is fouling on the lock invert (whatever that means) and is at risk of detachment, this posing a safety concern. So the lock was closed to navigation on the 24th January—exactly a month ago.
Now we have notice when it will eventually be repaired on Friday (of course) the 30th of May! Three more months!
From the trust we have notice that the contractors are 'working diligently', at the same time telling contractors are scheduled to commence on-site works on 10th March. Work that one out.
Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation
The next closure looking to be a long one is on Eastwood Lock on the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation.
This has suffered an hydraulic oil leakage on the lock, our being told that the local operations team—that's a new one—have been on site making plans for the repair.
However, it currently has no date for this.
That bridge
Needless to tell my friends, 'they' are still awaiting the delivery of parts for the Loco Bridge.
I can hardly remember when it conked, sometime last November I reckon.
Victor swift—telling tales for 25 years