A meeting of the APPWG was held on 14th May using the Zoom videoconferencing facility. NABO attended as observers – the norm for such meetings. This well-attended meeting was chaired by the APPWG’s Chairman, Michael Fabricant, and very appropriately focused on the need for dedicated financial support for waterways businesses. The lead speaker was Paul […]

Mike Rodd and Mark Tizard have a catch-up call with Matthew Symonds, CRT’s Head of Boating, joined by his deputy, Rachel Haywood. The main points to emerge were as follows:

CRT has provided their response to the virus, which for many of us is giving normal life a bit of a rest. The headline is that the canals remain open for use. Good news. See their web page here. For NABO, all representative meetings are being cancelled, but plans are being put in place for […]

In January, CRT started work to enhance the resilience of the dam wall and spillway. This will be followed later in the year by improvements to the Todd Brook inlet channel at the head of the reservoir to provide more control over how much water flows into the reservoir, or around it via a bypass channel […]

Peter Fellows says it’s time to stop the towpath menace. For several years, NABO has been getting reports from boaters of cyclists speeding along towpaths, causing collisions and resulting injuries to pedestrians, pets and wildlife – and other cyclists. Over the summer, I have received yet more letters from boaters describing incidents and near-misses, and […]

Shepreth Wildlife Park and the online rope company, Buy Rope, are requesting donations of natural fibre rope for the Park’s two Sumatran tigers, Kelabu and Ratna. The Park has been home to the two tigers, since they were transferred from Chessington World of Adventures in March this year. The park is also home to meerkats, […]

National inland navigation forum meeting NINF met at the St. Pancras Cruising Club in February with all but one of the member bodies represented. This forum continues to be a useful meeting point, bringing together navigational bodies involved with CRT, EA and other navigation authorities. There was much discussion surrounding issues relating to the possibility […]

Clean Air Strategy David Fletcher looks at the options for boat stoves in the light of new regulations. DEFRA has just updated its report on the Clean Air Strategy. This is all about the impact of pollution from solid-fuel stoves. DEFRA is telling us how it intends to tackle these (and other) sources of air […]

Not a good summer for boating Despite the excellent boating weather, for much of the summer, CRT had emergency navigation closures in force. This was the situation in July, when there were seventeen: Locks 1 – 12, Macclesfield Canal  Lock 7, Actons Lock, Regents Canal  Lock 2, Belan Lock, Montgomery Canal  Teeces Bridge, Wyrley & […]

All change at CRT with new Regional Directors   CRT’s new regional structure was put in place on 4th June and the following Regional Directors have been appointed: London & South East – Ros Daniels. She has extensive experience of the heritage and tourism sector, most recently as Head of Historic Properties, London at English […]