In the latest ‘out of the box‘ thinking, I am going to ask you to think about the unthinkable.
We all dislike the stoppage season, but it is essential evil to try and keep the system up and running. Though it is a carefully planned period, there are things that can’t be planned for in advance. Some winter stoppages take many weeks to complete. Sometimes those stoppages can be extended by long periods of bad weather.
In Out Of The Box (3) There is a graph that points to the growing number of lock gates that over the next few years will be reaching their end of life. By 2020 demand will outstrip current production limits. Currently we are doing less than 50 lock gates a year. By 2020 that will have grown to 125 gates. By 2026 it will peak at around 225 gates. In 2027 CaRT has to be fully self funding.
So, should some of the more exacting stoppages start to take place at a time when the extra daylight hours, improved weather conditions and better transport conditions are available. Plus there would be a better chance of good weather for the public to come and experience of some of the more complex maintenance projects. These periods would have to be planned to avoid the obviously busy periods such as school holidays. But if there is sufficient advanced notice and the time scales are kept as tight as possible. There could be a regular set a time slot of say a two week period for this to take place.
As I said, there will be many reasons for and against such a prospect. I have the feeling that CaRT will have to introduce such a system sooner or later. I have also the feeling that it will come sooner.
