NABO has comments on the  Partnership towpath mooring plan for the Kennet and Avon Canal west of Devizes.

The Kennet & Avon Waterway Partnership, based on recommendations from its Local Mooring sub-group, has submitted proposals to the boating team of the Canal & River Trust for further consideration by the CRT Navigation Advisory Group. These proposals support the introduction of a pilot voluntary local agreement between CRT and licence holders in the area between Bath and Devizes. As stated in their report, these “proposals do not seek to interpret the definition of ‘continuous cruising’ but do seek to establish fair and equitable sharing of the canal within the area and establish a process to enable all users to opt in to an agreement which will support this guiding principle. Licence holders who do not opt in to the voluntary agreement would knowingly be bound by standard licensing obligations within this area.”

In Boat Fire Safety Week, 31st May - 5th June, wise up to boat fire and carbon monoxide (CO) risks

Local Fire and Rescue Authorities (LRAs )and the Boat Safety Scheme are encouraging local boat owners to learn more about fire and carbon monoxide (CO) risks and make vital safety checks to stay safe this summer.

In the past 20 years thirty boaters have been killed in boat fires and thirty have been killed by the ‘silent killer’ carbon monoxide.

The message, timed for the start of the boating season, says owners should understand the risks, adopt some basic checks, and follow engine and appliance operating guidelines, as the essential steps to deal with the fire and CO threat.

NABO members have brought to our attention yet another loss of visitors mooring.

It is understood that CRT have given permission for a trip boat to use the visitor moorings at Upton on Severn to pick up and drop off passengers.

NABO is alarmed that one of the most popular visitor moorings on the Severn, giving access to Upton on Severn, will now not be available for significant amounts of time to both private and hire boaters. From our personal experience we know how high the demand is and there is no doubt that this restriction will have an immediate effect on the number of visitors to the town and, hence, to its economy.

The NABO Council has become increasingly aware of a number of key visitors moorings being withdrawn (often without any consultation with users) and made available for other purposes, typically of a commercial nature.

In this light, we have been alerted to a planning permission application on the K&A to change of use a visitor mooring to a permanent trade mooring near to the middle of Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire. We have officially expressed our opposition to this application.

SE VISITOR MOORINGS  - NABO RESPONSE TO THE CANAL AND RIVER TRUST (CRT) REPORT ON THE PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS OF SPRING 2013

CRT has confirmed that it was taken aback by the strength of boaters opinions: for example 700+ signed a spontaneous online petition spread by word of mouth against the proposals (not the principle of consulting as implied in the CRT report). Some 360 boaters wrote feedback in response to the CRT email, of which at least 50% was negative. In addition both NABO and RBOA, representing many thousands of members wrote detailed feedback, again rejecting specific aspects of the proposal. CRT decided to focus on the minority that gave positive feedback as the green light to proceed.