TOURISTS were marooned on their narrowboat when a canal worker locked a gate in front of them and drove off.
The incident on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, near Slaithwaite, left Andrew Edwards and his father Brian stranded next to a factory for almost 24 hours.
Andrew, a school teacher from Rugby in Warwickshire, said they were on a five-week summer tour that involved travelling through the Standedge Tunnel.
He said they had been told to report to British Waterways at lock 34 to be escorted through the tunnel at Marsden.
But as they arrived at lock 24 at 11am on Wednesday, a British Waterways worker locked the gate in front of them and told them to move back.
Andrew said the worker told them they had to be escorted to go any further and someone would be back at 10am the next day to let them through.
Andrew, 36, said: “We were dumped and stranded with absolutely no facilities whatsoever.
“We couldn’t get the boat anywhere near the bank for the bushes and the trees.
“On walking up above the lock there is a lovely waiting area that must be a quarter of a mile long with bollards, good depth of water which is much more tranquil and peaceful.
“It’s not a very nice welcome for us. Now my dog Simba has walked over some broken glass and shredded his feet and I’m having to get a vet out.
“We’ve had overwhelming support from local people who love to see all the boaters but say they are all grumpy and cross because of British Waterways.”
Andrew said he used to be an ardent British Waterways fan but the condition of the canals near Huddersfield and the customer service he had received meant he would now advise people not to bother.
Jeremy Tuck, operations manager British Waterways Yorkshire, said: “We have had a number of incidents on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal recently, where water has been wasted by boaters.
“Therefore, to keep water levels high and keep our boaters safe and moving, we have introduced a system of guiding boats through the locks from Slaithwaite to Tunnel End at Marsden.
“All customers, without exception, are advised about this when they book their passage through the Standedge Tunnel. In addition, there is signage at appropriate points and waterscape.com also informs boaters of the procedure.
“All our staff are fully trained in customer service and communicate with customers regularly and effectively. In this particular case, the team leader, did explain the whole situation to a member of the party on the boat.
“He also informed the gentleman where to moor safely and what time a member of staff would return to assist the group with their passage.”
