THE popular Boat Canal Festival, run by the Inland Waterways Association’s Lee & Stort Branch to coincide with the Ware Festival, was cancelled due to the last-minute closure of a dangerous towpath.
Hertfordshire County Council issued a prohibition order for a large section of the towpath on the River Lee through Ware, including the site on which the July festival was to be held because its condition is a public safety risk.
Forty serious and dangerous issues were identified, and the area will be closed indefinitely until remedial work – estimated to cost about £100,000 – is complete. No timescale for the work has been released.
Prosecution threat
Barriers were erected at either end and entrances, and anyone using the towpath – which is a public right of way – could be liable to prosecution and a substantial fine.
The IWA branch has now questioned why the closure was not a planned one, nor consulted on, when the towpath has been in a ‘poor state for many years.’
Craig Haslam, from the IWA Lee and Stort Branch, said: “This is sad and disappointing for our local boaters and the wider community of Ware after 20 years of staging this incredibly popular festival.
“We do not question the need for significant improvements; however, we feel this could have been achieved through a planned closure when footfall and river traffic is quieter, rather than electing for the blunt instrument of a full and immediate closure via an prohibition order which we believe is a disproportionate approach and was done without consultation.”
Repair estimate
The towpath was assessed by the council’s contractor, Ringway, which identified the 40 issues (see panel, right), each of which alone could have been enough to issue the closure order, according to the IWA.
It also claimed that the work is estimated to cost £100,000, though the council told Towpath Talk there is ‘no figure for potential costs yet’ as it depends on the work required. There is no timescale, for the same reason.
In a public statement, the IWA said: “The towpath has been in a poor state for many years, deteriorating each year, and usually volunteers from the branch undertake a few days’ work to make the area safe for the festival with minimal support.
“The IWA has asked for assurance it would be complete before the 2025 festival, but this was not forthcoming. The decision demonstrates a lack of multiagency partnership working, as no consultation took place.
Highlights funding
“The situation highlights how the waterways can be affected if not funded adequately.
“The Fund Britain’s Waterways group has come together to campaign to persuade national and local government to ensure that the benefits provided to the public by the waterways do not continue to be eroded.”
A large section of towpath on the River Lee through Ware has been closed to the public. PHOTO: CRAIG HASLAM
Forty issues identified
A spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council told Towpath Talk that there was no time for prior consultation with partners; the towpath needed to be closed urgently due to the immediate safety risk.
The spokesperson said: “Over the last few weeks, we have received about 40 reports of hazardous defects on the River Lee towpath between Amwell End and Ware Lock.
“We have inspected these and found that the path surface needs significant repair. Due to the site conditions, the proximity of the footpath to the canal and the amount and complexity of the work required, we unfortunately had no option but to immediately close this footpath while we arrange for permanent repairs.
“We have begun assessing exactly what work is required and, most importantly, how we go about safely carrying out repairs, given how difficult it will be for staff and machinery to safely access and work on this very narrow site. We will be working with the Canal & River Trust and the Environment Agency to agree an approach.
“At the moment we do not know when works can start, or how long they will take to complete, but we do know that this is a complex job and will take time to do properly.
“We know this will be inconvenient for regular users of the path, and it is very unfortunate that the closure has led to the cancellation of the popular Ware Boat Canal Festival, but we had to take this decision on safety grounds.”
