John Cattemull,
The Lock House,
Stoke Hammond,
MK17 9DG
14th May 2008
Dear Sir,
I have read with some concern the reports that Defra intend to reduce the number
of lock keepers currently employed on the Thames.
Having resided at, operated or been around locks for forty seven years and having
been a boater for over thirty years I feel that I can comment with some authority.
Do the authority intend to allow boaters to operate the Thames locks unsupervised?
I currently live in a canal lock house ( privatised! ) and see what goes on each day.
It is not unusual to see inexperienced boaters sitting in the lock with the sluices
open at both ends wondering why they are not going up or down. The record so
far is three "rescues" in one day. I have more than once encountered a completely
drained pound on the canals and had to effect a refill. The idea of people playing
with unattended locks on the Thames is surely unthinkable.
The Authority are undoubtedly already well aware of the fact that canal boats are
sunk each year in unattended canal locks, in some cases by experienced boaters.
I assume that emergency telephones will need to be installed at each lock as when
an accident occurs, as they inevitably do on waterways, there will be no qualified
personnel in attendance to take charge of the situation.
The other point which I haven't seen mentioned is the problem of vandalism.
Bored youths love to play with the lock gear on the canals to see how much damage
they can achieve. What systems do the authority intend to out in place to monitor
and prevent this problem occuring.
If the authority go ahead with this ill conceived idea, just in order to increase their coffers
in the short term, I sincerely hope that they don't live to regret it in the long term,
Yours faithfully
John Cattemull