26th May 2008
We have received the following report:
We have received the following report:
The River Thames at Old Windsor lock has been almost completely blocked since early this morning by a fallen tree. It is impossible for boat owners to navigate through by themselves.
Had this tree fallen during the day instead of at night there could have been a disaster as big as the Marchioness if it had come down on one of the party boats which regularly uses this stretch of the river.
This incident shows how important it is that lockkeepers remain in the lock houses so that they can deal with emergencies such as this. It is the intention of the Environment Agency to sell and rent nearly half of the lock houses and lockkeepers will eventually have to find alternative housing. This situation is appalling and must be stopped from happening. It is vital that lockkeepers are in the lock houses and therefore on site to deal with emergencies such as this.
It also indicates the need for continual river maintenance. Since the Environment Agency took over the River Thames in 1996 the river has been sorely neglected. Dredging and river maintenance has almost come to a halt. We understand the tree was recently inspected and NOTHING WAS DONE. It is vital that a continuous programme of dredging and river maintenance is instigated immediately to stop disasters such as this occurring.
