EA Notice re Restrictions at Clifton 18th September to 30th October

[boatone]

Please find attached an Environment Agency Harbourmaster's Notice for bridge works at Clifton Lock Cut Bridge. The works require a reduction in the headway under the bridge.
When: Monday 18 September to Monday 30 October 2017
Where: Clifton Lock Cut Bridge, 350 metres upstream of Clifton Lock
What’s happening: Repair works to Clifton Lock Cut Bridge involving a reduced headway
The timbers on Clifton Lock Cut Bridge have failed leaving the structure in an unsafe condition. Urgent repairs are required to make the bridge safe for both boats passing underneath and those who rely on the bridge as a river crossing.
In order to replace the timbers scaffolding is required around the bridge deck. This will reduce the available headway under the bridge from 4.06 metres to 3.12 metres. Please see attached Harbourmaster’s notice for full details and local bridge heights.
For more information on river restrictions, please see our webpage: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/river-thames-conditions-closures-restrictions-and-lock-closures
Thames Waterways Team
Environment Agency

 

[apollo]

Ouch that is low.

 

[boatone]

Just to be clear, if you cannot reduce your airdraft below 10'3" you will be unable to proceed through Clifton lock cut in either direction between 18th September and 30th October.

 

[bricksh]

ridiculous and unacceptable
September and October are two of the best months on the river. A little quieterand often fine weather. No-one can object when an emergency closes the navigation that just happens, but it just appears to me that the individuals who are consenting to these urgent works need backbone replacements, or a bit of real life experience.

I wonder what the reaction of the EA managers would be if we sat on Clifton Lock layby for 6 weeks waiting for the works to be completed.

Having been under the bridge a number of times this year, I agree it does need attention but it is not about to fall down and a net would prevent any timbers falling if thats the worry, until works could be done during the winter season. Pedestrian access can be had over the lock gates and if the same contractor can't do two jobs at once get another contractor (its a small wooden bridge not the Hadron Collider)

Springing these surprises at this stage in the boating season is unacceptable, when alternative approaches are available and why aren't they (EA Navigation Managers) and their colleagues (Thames area operations managers) able to construct a coordinated stoppage plan. do they not talk to each other.

Unacceptable but sadly predictable.

 

[prof pat pending]

Next time you're passing, perhaps you can let the landowner know that you'll be in the area with a boat.
I'm sure he'd appreciate any help you can give him ferrying his cattle across the river

 

[bricksh]

so a few cows take precedence over navigation. This is starting 18th September for goodness sake. He/she can get their cows over the cut and not put them back until the bridge is fixed; not shut off the navigation part way through the season.

 

[prof pat pending]

There's not enough of the bridge left to take any weight, the main structure of the bridge has completely failed and is hanging in the river on the opposite bank to the island.

Any attempt to move anything over that bridge would probably result in closure of the navigation rather than a height reduction.

 

[bricksh]

Yes but its been like that for quite a while. I don't dispute it needs doing, but that it should be done along with other winter works that restrict the navigation as part of a coordinated program, not foisted onto folks, out of the blue, part way through the cruising season.

 

[prof pat pending]

I imagine the farmer would disagree with you. It is after all his livelihood vs your ...... I was going to say hobby, but iirc you live on a barge. Does a 10 foot height limit restrict your use of the river?

 

[bricksh]

Yes it does

 

[prof pat pending]

That's a shame, there are plenty of huge Dutch barges that make Lechlade, you miss out on the prettiest part of the river imho

 

[ianc1200]

I just don't get this. Why take money off us and then stop us using tge navigation? I too had planned a trip upriver late Sept/early October but the EA have done this. Why not leave until end of October? Absolute madness and fraud.

 

[ChrisJBSC]

We have a months trip planned, starting a week after this closure, to go up river from Bray to Oxford...

However, as we can get below 10ft, we are hoping for an even quieter time on the upper reaches

 

[No Regrets]

that onset bridge needs a bit of a seeing to as well..... https://youtu.be/qm3_1RF8SUk

 

[boatone]

Just to be clear, if you cannot reduce your airdraft below 10'3" you will be unable to proceed through Clifton lock cut in either direction between 18th September and 30th October.

This headway restriction has now been extended to 10th November.