THE PAST TWO DAYS have seen more closures and extended closures of the waterways.
Making it difficult for boaters to discover where they can safely cruise, as Keith Gudgin reports.
Ashton Canal
Making it worse is that this is the start of the holiday season for schools, when boaters want to take their children on their boats, overloading the available waterways.
It started on the Monday with the Ashton Canal completely closed from Lock 1 to Lock 18 due to exceptionally low water levels. on the Monday and the trust stating this is to ensure the safety of boaters.
Grand Union Canal
Then another failure on the Grand Union Canal with Fenny Stratford Lock 22 suffering a broken balance beam, that had been in such a poor condition.
So comes the assessment and possibly the repair. But then told narrowboats can use the lock but not wide beams.
Leeds & Liverpool
Lock 85 to Lock 86 together with Lock 1 on the Leigh Branch on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal are short of water, but this time vandals are being blamed.
The trust telling that 'paddles have been left open'. But vandals do not leave paddles open—they simply open them...
Rochdale Canal
The stoppage on the Rochdale Canal has been extended owing to low water levels.
This now extends right through to Manchester at Castlefield Lock 92 from Lock 48 at Littleborough on the summit. With water levels remaining low.
Grand Union Canal
Still another stoppage on the Leicester Section has been confirmed with the navigation closed from Watford Lock 1 to Kings Lock 38 in Leicester, with both the Watford and Foxton flights closed to navigation. The trust telling that it had continued to monitor the exceptionally dry conditions that have not improved.
Birmingham & Fazeley Canal
The stoppage on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal now includes both the Curdworth and Minworth flights with the navigation now closed from Lock 1 on the Minworth Flight to Lock 11 on the Curdworth Flight.
A temporary repair has been made to the pump at Minworth, that the trust hopes will help stabilise and improve water levels throughout the lock flight.
Oxford Canal
From Lock 8 Napton Bottom Lock to Lock 25 Cropredy Lock, the navigation is closed.
The trust tells the obvious that while the closure is in place locks will be closed but boaters will be free to cruise along pounds between winding places.
And so it goes on...