I’m furious. Spitting tacks! Yesterday I popped in to see the mooring situation in Paddington basin on my way to Towpath Ranger duties on the Regents Canal. Of course all the moorings were full. I expected that. What I didn’t expect was that the available space had been further reduced. A floating pontoon has been erected across the basin towards the Edgeware road end
and signs on the mooring rings say this:
So in an already inadequate space allowance a further three boat spaces have been lost. A further check on the CRT stoppage page revealed this:
Stoppage: Paddington Basin / Paddington Arm
04 Oct 2013 - 14 Apr 2014
Associated Regional Office: London Waterways
Closure of Paddington Basin for bridge replacement
!!!!!
What the !!??
I was already sore about the fact that a) they had sold away half the spaces for winter mooring permits and b) that any remaining spaces appeared to be taken up by local “Residents” rather than bona fide visitors. I marched down to the CRT office at Little Venice and asked to see someone to grumble at. The lady i spoke to told me that those mooring rings should have been used in the firstp lace and that they would be permanently withdrawn fro use. As to the stoppage, she didn’t appear to know much ( no surprise there) but I was given the name and email address of someone to contact, so I have spent all morning today writing him a very long email asking for details of exactly how much space is available for “proper “ visitors and complaining about the lack of protection of visitor moorings. As far as I can see central London is now virtually out of bounds for boats visiting from outside the city as so much visitor mooring has been taken away. After I get their reply, I intend to take the matter a lot further. I’ll keep you posted.
So with a heavy heart I announce that I hereby strip Paddington basin of the Herbie Award for Best Destination 2013. You can’t have a best destination where you can’t go. Grrrrrr.
Instead I award it to Market Harborough. God bless ‘em.
7 comments:
That's two Herbie Awards we agree on, then. Can I make it a hat trick?
Shame about the loss of visitor moorings at Paddington, though.
I have a suspicion that the bridge replacement work is so that boats can get to the basin that's currently inaccessible -- thus creating more moorings.
Anyhow, don't the awards relate to places as you experienced them during the year? In which case, what's happened this week should have no impact on the winner.
We were vexed when a further two moorings in Paddington were lost by the positioning of the aerating hoses- they make so much underwater noise that it's untenable to stay aboard.
And I'm appalled that they're going to stop allowing moorers to use the rings - I thought they should make more mooring space there not less!
It's your award and you can withdraw it if you want to!
Sue, nb Indigo Dream
What a dreadful shame! I hope they know they have been stripped of this prestigious honour! To get a Herbie Award is not a paltry thing! Can we sign in support of your objection letters? It seems something needs to be done to improve visitors' moorings in London.
looks like a trip to London this winter is off. Dave nb Sokai ccing
further North.
I am surprised you gave it to Market Harborough as there are no visitor moorings at all in the basin now unless you pay for them.
Brian
That's true Brian, but it's still a lovely place to visit, and at least you can moor there somewhere. Paddington is off limits whether you can pay or not at the moment.
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