Sunken narrowboat to be removed

Working in partnership with East Herts Council, Hertford Town Council have confirmed that they are funding the removal of a sunken narrowboat from Little Hartham.

Hertford Town Council and East Herts Council have been in talks with the Environment Agency and the Canal and River Trust for some months and Officers have been in constant communication to prepare not just the removal, but the onward storage of the barge - as well as ongoing liaison with its owner.

Both Councils have come up with a solution to this problem that falls between so many levels of jurisdiction and are most grateful to both Josh Dean MP and 'I love Hertford' for their ongoing support on this issue.

The narrowboat sank following a fire at the beginning of May. The boat was uninsured and moored without permission adjacent to land owned by the district council.

Leader of Hertford Town Council, Councillor Alex Daar, commented: "Hertford Town Council has been quietly working behind the scenes, for some months, to rid our beautiful town of this eyesore.

"When we pledged to support our rivers back in January, we meant it and although removing this vessel is not strictly part of our remit, we can't leave it in our local waters any longer. We are delighted that Hertford will be rid of the barge in time for Christmas - it's our gift to our wonderful town, that we work so hard to protect and promote."

Councillor Ben Crystall, Leader of East Herts Council said: "This has been a complex situation to resolve, and we are grateful to everyone involved, especially the Town Council for funding the boat's removal and the team at East Herts for working tirelessly to find a resolution. We also want to thank residents for their patience throughout this process. Although the removal took longer than we would have liked, we are pleased that the sunken barge will be gone from the town ahead of the new year."

Works will soon begin and it will take two or three days to clear the area; we urge the public to give the professionals space to do their job safely and efficiently.

Both Councils are looking forward to the moment that this beautiful Hertford scene is back to its former glory, not just to improve the quality of the water and nature within it, but for all its residents and visitors to enjoy.

I welcome confirmation that Hertford Town Council will fund removal of the fire damaged barge in the River Lea in time for Christmas, working alongside East Herts Council.

When I brought local stakeholders together over the summer, it was clear there was a will to remove the barge but funding the cost of the removal was a significant challenge.

In appreciate why residents have felt frustrated by the pace of progress. The barge sank in an area of the River Lea where no single authority had sole responsibility for its removal, which is why local staeholders had to work together to find a joint solution.

At a meeting earlier this year, the Canal & River Trust highlighted that barges sink in similar circumstances across the country, posing significant challenges for their removal. I believe this represents a policy blind spot and will therefore call for it to be addressed in Parliament.

I want to thank residents for their patience, and local stakeholders for coming together to find a solution in difficult circumstances.

:: Josh Dean MP