Boat trip firm losing £1,000 a day after River Avon section drained

A boat tour company says it is losing £1,000 a day because it cannot run trips on a section of river that was accidentally drained.

Water levels plunged on a stretch of the River Avon in Bath on Tuesday after a fault with a sluice gate.

Boat owners who became stranded have criticised the Environment Agency for not acting soon enough, and said the problem had happened before.

The agency said it planned to slowly raise the water levels on Friday.

It said the incident, which saw the water level drop by about 1.8m (5.9ft), was due to a fault in the software that operates a vertical sluice gate, causing it to open suddenly.

Paul Siddall, director of River Adventures, said the malfunction had caused a "significant financial impact".

"It affects people who live on the river as well as those who work on it," he said.

He added that this year's tourist season had already been shortened due to the Covid-19 pandemic and flooding in the spring.

"We need to make the most of the season now to sustain us through the winter to next year.

"Pressure needs to be put on [the agency] to do something about this, as it has a serious impact on a lot of people who are worried about it happening again."

In a meeting with boat owners, the Environment Agency's Ian Withers apologised and admitted it "could have done better" and that the situation was "distressing".

"Fortunately, it appears no-one was harmed and the hard work of righting this situation has begun," he said.

A Canal and River Trust spokesperson said: "This is the second time this has happened, so we are looking to them to find a solution as a matter of urgency."