HARECASTLE Tunnel was closed yesterday, and will be for the most of today as its rescue boat has failed again and is undergoing repair.
Keith Gudgin tells us the rescue boat is out of order, so under health and safety rules boats are not allowed in the tunnel, so there is no alternative but to close it, with queues now forming at both ends.
Common occurrence
This is now a common occurrence, with the rescue boat also being out of order earlier this month (Harecastle Tunnel closed) and the tunnel closed to boating, with at that time the contractors being unable to repair the boat that left the tunnel closed for days, needing CaRT staff on hand to clear the backlog when it was eventually repaired.
We are told the contractors are now working on the boat this morning, (Wednesday) and it is hoped that the tunnel will be open this afternoon. The notice from the Trust however tells us the towpath is open!
LATEST
Noon—the contractor managed to repair the boat, with the tunnel now re-opened.