lift bridges....

That bridge......
Went out of Oxford - which British Waterways seem to have made as boater-hostile as they can - to empty loo cassettes and fill up with water. (there are no facilities in oxford). B.W. have made almost all the moorings 24 hours max, 48 hours max - no return within 28 days - presumably in an attempt to banish the charming small boating community there, with a few cats living happily amongst the flowers and a very peaceful and civilised enclave. no doubt they want them in a sanitised marina, now that BW have sold the only surviving boatyard. There are very few moorings. the banks opposite some very smart houses are all "No mooring - Conservation Area". Now there's a coincidence. "Aha ! - Conspiracy theory", I hear them cry.
The trip looked easy, but with two small lift bridges (which are impossible single-handed, as there is no way to secure the bridge open when operating alone) and a major motorway construction project with a hydraulic temporary bridge blocking the canal until the company feel like opening it (in fact the operator was very courteous).
In all, even with help from passers-by and another boater, the four mile round trip took almost five hours ! Never mind, it was good to be out in rain and thunder. It just leaves me wondering what agenda B.W. are working to ; if they are not pro-boater, what are they there for ?
It's interesting to see endless money available for "improving" motorways (even though commercial traffic is getting less) right next to the canal - for which there is no money even for basic maintenance like dredging.
In contrast, there are some very interesting small scale bank repairs, apparently using mesh-wrapped rolls of coconut fibre - with tubes stuck in (for plants ?). I must find out more.