Norhampton on Nene

[macnorton]

We have all heard how the EA cannot afford to dredge the river, yet spent £2.5M on a marina for Norhampton , then I find out that the income from this marina will only be spent in Norhampton.

When you consider the millions already spent on the river channel through Norhampton (but nothing downstream)I have to wonder what the f*** are these people on?

Article below. What do you think? Bring on CRT?

http://m.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/politics/residential-boost-for-northampton-s-marina-1-5522491

 

[boatone]

Hmmm …. all may not be as it seems ……..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-17564294

It was funded by a number of organisations, including Northampton Borough Council, Northamptonshire County Council, West Northamptonshire Development Corporation and Northamptonshire Enterprise Partnership.

The EA works in mysterious ways its enigmas to perform! EA Thames is just a tiny bit of a rather large conglomeration which itself is governed by DEFRA.

I would be astonished if the marina was entirely funded by the EA although they may have made some contribution in relation to environmental and flood control issues. If you are that concerned about it go talk to your local MP.

As for "Bring on CRT" - be careful what you wish for and I think we can forget that for a good few years.

 

[macnorton]

1st this is EA Anglian so a different group, after the 98 floods the EA received £7M for flood protection,all spent on protecting Norhampton, this means flood water passes the town fast but as nothing was done downstream the rest of the river now floods more often and to a greater degree.
There are many areas of the river that are too shallow for even a nb to pass safely (and this on the deeper downstream reaches), this is in an area I used a boat with a 5ft draught before the EA came along.
I have a friend on CRT waters, they seem more interested in maintaining the navigation and he pays 25% less than me (same boat).
So please explain why I should be careful what I wish for? (usable river, fair pricing?)

 

[boatone]

EA Anglian may be a different region but it is still part of EA and receives its strategic management and grant funding through the EA central organisation and, ultimately, Defra. Any navigation income e.g. licence fees, will generally be used to support the regional navigation but probably around 20% or so will be top sliced to pay for hierarchical services.

As regards my comment re CRT, I was simply suggesting that a blind belief that the CRT would run the waterways more beneficially is a dangerous assumption. WIthout, at least, some cast iron guarantees that income derived from a particular waterway will be directed back to that waterway there is no reason to assume that the waterway you are interested will receive its fair share (as you see it) of support expenditure.
CRT will not want to take on responsibility for EA waterways without a government guaranteed dowry and, as the government have decided that is not affordable in the current financial climate, we are likely to see further reductions in public purse funding until such time as the matter is reconsidered.
I am neither for or against the possible transfer of EA waterways to the CRT, and it is not possible to form anything other than an emotional view, until more details are available of how the transfer will be accomplished and what guarantees will be enshrined in the handover.

 

[oldgit]

Of the total funding allocated to mantaining navigable UK waterways throughout the UK, would love to know which area has the most generous amount of cash spent on it per boat.

 

[Flynnbarr]

Who remembers the large price rises of the license fee in the late eighties?they were justified by saying 'we will sort out all the bottlenecks on the river' e.g. Queuing below the road bridge at bray lock etc etc.NOTHING was done.
EA built some shiny new offices at reading.
All you need to remember is the EA do not give a flying fig about boats and boaters.

 

[boatone]

Not stuck in the past then? That was over 25 years ago !
In case you haven't noticed quite a lot of money is spent every year on maintaining and improving services for boaters. Maybe not as much as we would like but a lot more public purse money than we directly contribute.

 

[Flynnbarr]

Not stuck in the past then? That was over 25 years ago !

Do we still complain to lord des borough?!bring back the conservancy I say!

Just feel the EA has to many plates spinning to give the rivers the attention they deserve.the EA are happy with the status quo,a lot of people would lose their little empires if the EA lost the rivers from their portfolio.some sort of body dedicated to the rivers interests would surely be better.

 

[macnorton]

Thanks for the reply B1.
With reference to the origional post, this silt bar has been a problem for at least 8 years, it can been clearly seen on Google earth and is N.NW of Alwalton peterborough and accross the middle of the river, the EA only accepted it is real after an NB had to be rescued from it, before that they denied it even existed.

This silt was there before Defra cocked up the farmers and we had to pay more for our licences (remember the EA's three years of above inflation increases and no more promise!).
If you say about removing it you are told it cannot be done because of this and that, but CRT can do it, and do. http://www.towpathtalk.co.uk/search?k=dredging&x=0&y=0

In fact CRT seem far more proactive in all aspects of navigation. see links.
http://www.towpathtalk.co.uk/news/aylesbury-arm-lock-wall-repairs-update
http://www.towpathtalk.co.uk/news/basingstoke-canal-set-to-reopen-for-easter
Do you truthfully believe the EA would act this quickly in the same situation? I expect not!

Recently I arrived at a lock on a Sat eve after the EA offices were closed (double time?) to be met by the EA emergency team who had arrived to replace a cracked bezell on the switch that operates the gates (we have no lock keepers).
The bezel had been cracked for two months and the lock was working fine yet TWO landrovers with two EA men in each arrived to replace this dangerous bezell!

The EA are mad on H&S they have istalled fence's on lock walls to stop the public falling in, but no-one thought how the boaters are to get off the boat! (see Elton lock)
One of these fences was installed so close to the lock gate that a freind was crushed between the two, he survived after being airlifted and spent months in hospital but will never be the same. (I will make no more comment on this point for legal reasons).

If I come onto the Thames I have to pay the EA again for a Thames licence, this is not the case with CRT. the EA just view boaters as a cash cow and nothing more.
I could list many more examples of how the offices dont know what the are doing (I have documented proof of this), but the bottom line is I believe navigation should be run by a navigation authority, and in my non-emotional veiw the sooner CRT are given the chance the better.

Please do not think I am slating the EA men on the river, they are a good bunch (all three of them), it is just i do not like paying more and more to support the jobs for the boys culture that I believe exists within the EA management.

 

[boatone]

n fact CRT seem far more proactive in all aspects of navigation. see links.
http://www.towpathtalk.co.uk/news/aylesbury-arm-lock-wall-repairs-update
http://www.towpathtalk.co.uk/news/basingstoke-canal-set-to-reopen-for-easter
Do you truthfully believe the EA would act this quickly in the same situation? I expect not!

Your choice of examples of how CRT is more responsive than the EA are a little unfortunate !

The Basingstoke Canal is not a CRT waterway but jointly owned by Surrey and Hampshire County Councils and the article highlights long overdue major investment in maintenance and repair over the next 4 years.

The first article re repairs to the Grand Union lock on the Aylesbury Arm is necessary because it actually collapsed and they had to crane boats that were trapped out to set them free!!

I'm pleased to say that, on the Thames (sorry, I have no knowledge of other waterways) we have had no incidents such as that in recent memory, possibly due to the extensive winter works programmes of maintenance the the EA have continued to invest in.

It would be good if, just occasionally, credit was paid where it is due for work that is being handled efficiently within the resources available. There is a world of difference between the coal face and the political lords and masters that decide how much money they are to receive to carry out their allotted responsibilities to maintain the waterway. At a recent meeting I attended river users representatives were unanimous in their praise for the responsiveness of the operations group that carry out repairs and major maintenance. In 2012/13, of a total 30 lock related breakdowns, 26 were repaired in less than 4 hours, 2 between 4 and 24 hours and only two took over 24 hours.

If you want to give someone a kicking go harass your MP and try and get more resources allocated.