Brookwood News

Question

From: Jenny and Alan Fowler

I have one query and one comment about the canal - first and foremost, do you know what, if anything, is happening to it?  It is soul-destroying to see the empty locks and jungle of vegetation after all the work that was originally done to make it navigable.  A fellow dog-walker told me that SCC have now sacked 3 wardens, including Peter Bickford, which is very sad and can't help things - though I realise councils are desperate to make cuts.

 

I have also noticed a definite increase in dog mess on the towpath.  If it isn't the actual mess, it is a neat little plastic bag containing it, either dumped at the edge of the towpath or festooning a bush like some bizarre Christmas decoration.  The latter is of course a worse option than leaving it unwrapped, as the bags are far less biodegradable.  I do sometimes dispose of them myself - and also unbagged dog mess - but feel it is a bit beyond the call of duty!

 

Finally, do you know anything about the 'new' swans?  One cygnet seems to have disappeared, which I hope doesn't have a sinister reason.

 

Jenny (Fowler)

 

Answer

 

From: Kathryn Dodington

Four rangers including Peter Munt and Peter Bickford have taken voluntary severance which will save the Basingstoke Canal Authority (BCA) a considerable sum.  Some of that money will be put into paying the 'term contractors' - Dyer and Butler to undertake remedial works - they have already completed work at Mabel Street in Woking and, starting on Monday, will work on the locks that require attention in Deepcut and the lock that requires attention in Brookwood. It has taken the BCA a huge amount of time to formally appoint the term contractors which we have taken issue with but I suppose the right and proper thing to do is to look forward.

The lack of work on the canal is a wholly unsatisfactory state of affairs but I can assure Jenny that the Canal Society has been bringing every bit of pressure it can to bear at all levels (Joint Management Committee, County Council and Borough Council).  There has been an undertaking to reopen the canal by 31-March-12 (which of course depends on the kind of winter we have and what other issues may be found). To that end Byfleet Boat added a Brookwood Country Park trip at Easter 2012 (6/7/8/9-Apr) to their events listing and that has been communicated to the Canal Society and to the BCA. We have also offered to test Deepcut when we brings the boats up.

 

Our local Borough and County Councillors (Linda and Glynis) have been hugely supportive of getting the work started so with the Canal Society and the local Councillors bringing pressure to bear I am not sure there is much more we can do except to continue to to exert pressure.

 

The Swans - Trevor Fox is the contact (01483 765108 / 07946 869933) - I know enough to understand that it is about this time of year that the adult swans try and chase the cygnets off to fend for themselves and the cygnets here do have their full flight feathers so I would expect that the missing cygnet has probably been sent packing by his/her Mum.  Trevor will be able to advise.

 

Dog poo - the sole responsibility of Woking's one and only dog warden - the leaving of plastic bags seems to be on the increase as it is happening on the Wey Navigation as well - perhaps more regular rubbish collections would mean offenders would take it home.  Rubbish bins would be an answer but with councils watching every penny there's no money to empty them but there never has been even in times of plenty.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Kathryn