Brugwachters verdwijnen van de oevers van het Noord-Willemskanaal

ASSEN - Next season, the province wants to operate the bridges and locks of the Noord-Willemskanaal from the lock at Peelo. Bridge and lock keepers will be able to monitor the entire route from that building via a fiber optic network and cameras. Less human contact According to the bridge and lock keepers, this will reduce contact with the boating public. They do believe that the flow of passengers will be smoother this way. The lock keepers in Zandpol agree, where they have been working this way for two years. For Provincial Executive Member Henk Brink, this efficiency is important: "Ships can pass through Drenthe faster this way. At the same time, we save on costs." Characteristic manual operation The province wants to preserve the traditional lock feel for a number of locks. Several manually operated locks on the Drentse Hoofdvaart canal will remain as they are. These locks contribute to the atmosphere of that waterway. According to the province, modernization would be a shame in this case.