We had to wait for a boat to clear Junction Lock, which gave Sheila the chance to see that there was absolutely no room on the moorings opposite the BW yard. The guy on the boat in front told her that they'd been like that since before Christmas, and a couple of subsequent conversations confirmed this.
One of the boats had certainly not been there all the time, as I recognised it by an entertaining card in its window. "Things are getting worse, send chocolate" it reads, and I remember seeing it around Haywood earlier in the year.
Nonetheless it was apparent that there wasn't the turnover you'd expect on a 48 hour mooring, since this was the scene at eleven o'clock:
Not what you want to see on emerging from Junction Lock on a cold wet morning in January. None of these boats were showing a winter mooring disc; I suspect that they've just been rotating about the local moorings all winter, leaving no room for the genuine cruiser as a result.
In the circumstances, there was nothing for it but to plod on to Alrewas. A boat we crossed with at Keepers Lock reassured us that there was plenty of room there, so on we went, arriving above Bagnall Lock just after twelve midday.
Harry Arnold came past as we were tying up, and we had a good old natter with him before thankfully falling on some hot soup and sandwiches for lunch. We'll just have to spend an extra day here, so no big deal from that point of view, but it's just as well we weren't committed to being in Fradley for some reason.
It all just underscores the problems with any plans for local mooring strategies; without effective enforcement, they will be a complete waste of time, and if BW can't enforce the current arrangements outside their own offices, what chance is there of that?
3 comments:
Bruce,
There are two or three boats who have been there a long time. It does amaze me that BW can be so blind to this when it is happening across the cut from them.
I think like many public body workforces the moral is so low the staff know whatever they do their jobs are going so they are no bothered..... a real shame and sign of the times for the waterways I think.
Neville
I think that you and I have had just such a conversation recently Bruce, although you were more optimistic than me if I remember correctly ;-)))
If BW cannot/will not enforce the regs directly opposite their own yard then what hope for other honey spots further away from their yards (such as the centre of Skipton for example)?
Nev's point about low morale and the resultant 'Why should I bother attitude' is very pertinent IMO.
Roger
Indeed so. What's also annoying is the length of empty long term mooring visible on the right of the photo.
If there's a demand for winter moorings, why not let those out, and keep the rest of the boats on the move, to give them a motive for paying for a proper mooring?
Cheers
Bruce
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