Canals not just for the summer (From Stroud News and Journal)

Canals not just for the summer

2:04pm Wednesday 19th December 2007

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MADAM - Re the letter published on December 5 'Costs of canal are spiralling' - yet another rant from the anti-canal club - I cannot let pass without comment the statement that 'canals are virtually unused for six months of the year'.

Mr Jefferies should get out more. If he cared to visit any canal in the country he would see that they are in constant use 12 months of the year, with walkers, anglers, cyclists and boaters.

Perhaps Mr Jefferies was just having a dig at boaters?

In that case perhaps he would like to know that there are currently in excess of 28,000 privately owned pleasure boats using the canal network, all of whom, incidentally, pay a great deal of money to do so.

Does he seriously think that all these boat owners, having invested hard earned capital in a boat, would then just leave it tied up for six months of the year?

Get real. Boats are out and about in all weathers and in all months.

Caroline Brown Lake Lane Frampton on Severn Are you for or against the canal? Comment here

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