Boats stuck as silt builds up in city docks

Narrowboats and pleasure craft have been getting stuck in and around Gloucester Docks because of a build-up of silt.

The silt levels are so high in places that a bank has formed in the middle of the basin. People who work and live around the docks have described it as the worst they had ever seen.

Stuart Mathewson said the silt had prevented him leaving in his narrowboat on Monday morning and the situation would put him off returning to the city in future.

A spokesperson for The Canal and River Trust said the charity had been in touch with boaters about silt levels in the docks. They added: "The second phase of our £4m dredging programme is due to begin later this month."

Mathewson described Gloucester as the "jewel in the crown" of the canal network, but said he was unlikely to come again.

"As we started out we got to the Victoria basin entrance and things started happening and it just came to a halt.

"I know we won't be coming back because we could damage the boat by trying to get through this silt."

Graham Wright has a hybrid narrowboat and feels confident he will be able to leave the docks on Tuesday.

"Because this is electric I can turn the prop very slowly to not move the sediment too much," he said.

"We have seen five boats get stuck here over the last four days, we've seen two this morning alone."

Richard Jones is on holiday but is worried about getting stuck as he has to get back for work.

"It's so dangerous now it's forcing people not to come down here on holiday."

Jones said he was asked to help pull a boat off the silt by Llanthony Bridge but it was not powerful enough.

"We couldn't get him off the silt, we had to leave him there," he said, adding: "the water level here should be at least 15ft deep and at the moment it is 2ft deep."

Business owners have expressed concern that it is putting people off visiting Gloucester, meaning the docks is losing out on trade.

David Purchase who runs cafe On Toast at the Docks said it was the worst silt build-up he had ever seen.

"My business is now suffering, this summer has been the worst trading figures ever," he added.

A spokesperson for The Canal and River Trust said: "Whilst the main navigation channel remains open and the docks have remained open throughout the summer, it is clear that there is the ongoing issue with silt coming into the Docks from the River Severn - something made worse when the river levels are low as they have been this summer due to the drought."

The spokesperson said that in the first phase of dredging as part of its £4m programme, more than 37,000 tonnes of silt was removed, calling it "by far the biggest dredging operation anywhere on our nation-wide canal network".

They added: "We continue to balance a range of responsibilities, including maintaining navigable water levels for boats, supporting the operation of Sharpness Docks, and meeting our obligations to supply water to Bristol Water."

Gloucester City Council leader, Jeremy Hilton, said he had written to the Trust with his concerns.

"Gloucester Docks is one of the city's greatest assets and it is important that these issues are addressed as quickly as possible," he added.

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