While ploughing through the latest set of stoppage announcements in my mail box from Waterscape, I was bemused to see a lock being closed for 8 whole days to fit one lock ladder. WRG can do this in a weekend without batting an eyelid. How about DEFRA giving the canal maintenance budget to the Waterways Recovery Group? They'd slash the budget for labour costs into pieces, even if the government paid them in cash rather than beer :-)