DUE to the overwhelming pressure of bad publicity and boaters unable to either get into or out of Birmingham on to the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, due to two closures, Canal & River Trust have re-opened the Aston Flight.
Calling the closure at Aston flight (pictured) a 'summer stoppage', infuriated boaters, knowing that it was a made-up excuse, and as a result, the Trust, in announcing its opening has dropped 'summer stoppage' but called it 'general works programme' instead.
Not too well received
Even this has not been received too well, with boaters telling us it should all have been done in the winter as it was under British Waterways.
It was all made worse when the Trust informed boaters, what they called the Birmingham & Warwick Junction Canal—actually the Grand Union—was then closed at Garrison Locks, cutting off all eastern entry into the city, then suggesting a detour along the Tame Valley Canal of 18 miles.