The marple aqueduct, the highest aqueduct in England, is to be fitted with safety railings following a major repair project and a public consultation on the most suitable form - despite the respondents opposed to the railings outnumbering those in support by a ratio of three to one. There are currently no protective railings to prevent people falling from the aqueduct if they step off their boat on to the flat surface on the off side. In recent years the Canal & River Trust says there have been recorded incidents, observation and reported anecdotes that have indicated both adults and children have put themselves at risk, perhaps inadvertently, by stepping on to the unfenced area with a sheer drop of 90ft to the River Goyt. "There is a stone parapet on the towpath side of the canal but no fencing on the opposite side," said David Baldacchino from CRT. "Although warning signs discourage access to the unfenced side, it is clear the lack of any fencing masks the significant risk that anyone stepping on to this area is facing.
展开▼
