I have been chuntering about this and really wish I’d not spotted it. writes Roger Baker.
The Caldon is an all time favourite backwater of mine since I first went up there in 1980 so I started looking on the web for a current summit level in the hope of going that way before Star Lock closes in November. The update is from August 28th, just over a week ago.
As I read this;
We have it seems been sold out of the water necessary to keep the Caldon open in favour of the North Staffs residents and businesses who can still water their lawns and wash their cars with water diverted from Rudyard to supplement Tittesworth reservoir stocks.
This is presumably to maintain the reputation of Severn Trent as not having had to impose a hose pipe ban for decades. The net result, and one assumes deliberate holding back on supply, during what was presumably a fairly lengthy consultation period between CART and Seven Trent, has restricted the water to sustain navigable depths on both the Heartbreak hill side of the T&M summit and the Caldon itself over the last months.
Severn Trent proudly and regularly move water about in a fleet of road tankers based in Ashbourne, though it is not clear where it’s being taken from and going to by road. They are obviously trying to gain points for there being no shortages for customers, and/or a regular predictably tempting annual bonus for the CEO.
All this it seems is on a promise, that down the line of a bit of cash for CART to fritter away in their customary manner on preferred contractors to do a little pointing of the brickwork on the reservoir infrastructure, and some rather extravagant and overly expensive signage portraying the now seemingly long past heyday of our network. If this is not callously selling us down the river whilst they plead poverty, with the time and money spent advertising wildlife walks and local tourist attractions which have nothing to do with the canals as a transport network, then what is really going on in their heads?
Just more of the same disinformation and blue sky thinking from the executives, ass-polishing their comfy leather office chairs it seems, and an emphasis on wildlife and habitat (like the Swad-Henge traffic island in Swadlincote) to mollify us into feeling its a worthwhile sacrifice and the financial cost is justifiable.
It may well be for all we know already be happening elsewhere. If this sell-off of water from feeder reservoirs is allowed to continue and be expanded to other reservoirs in more sections, the cyclists and walkers will have free reign, be able to walk and race their bicycles along the dried up sections of canal, and have an even greater say-so in matters despite it not costing them a penny. Ironically the stretches of previously abandoned canals presently under restoration will have no water to fill them and no system left to connect with by the time they are complete.
If the recent climate related weather trend is set to continue year on year, then water scarcity as they prefer to call it in Scotland, is going to lead to other similar prioritisations in favour of water company consumers. It would be safe to assume such discussions are already happening at board room level.
The sense of complete betrayal by CART must be by now be obvious for us all.