NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BOAT OWNERSHard times ahead?
Chair, Mike Rodd is concerned by what he sees in his crystal ball. In these strange times that we’re living in, our thoughts and prayers are with those tragically affected by Covid-19 and we feel for those who have lost a family member, friend or colleague, or whose livelihood or mental health has been seriously […]
Back cruising again this summer
Editor, Peter Fellows, reflects on the effects of the lockdown. As this issue of NABO News was being prepared, CRT and the EA announced the resumption of boating on July 4th in England and July 6th in Wales. No-one believes that everything will go back to ‘normal’, but it is too early to tell what […]
North East, Yorkshire & Humberside
Not a lot of positive news to report for obvious reasons, and all local waterways are very quiet. However, the local waterways are starting to attract walkers once more since the exercise rules were relaxed, but no boating, even if it was allowed, because of canal closures caused by low water levels. Pocklington Canal. Covid-19 […]
North West April 2020
I am at Appley Bridge, a suburb of Wigan on the east Lancashire border. There have been signs put up about the limited use of the canal towpath close to me. They have had little effect on towpath footfall as, in my estimation, there is a three- to four-fold increase in its use. A policeman […]
Wales and the South West April 2020
With many boaters safely self-isolating, there is little movement on the canals. It was reported that there were scores of dead fish spotted in the Kennet & Avon in Devizes. The EA said the coronavirus lockdown has resulted in a drop in traffic and activity on the canal, and this has created a series of […]
Meeting with CRT’s Head of Boating
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:
Open Letter to Richard Parry
Dear Richard. Following NABO’s recent Council meeting, I have been asked to write to you to raise the following concerns: we appreciate the efforts that CRT is now making to limit the use of the towpath for exercise, specifically in areas where there are moored boats, but we feel more needs to be done. We […]
Mindful of the needs of others
Mike Rodd considers some effects of the pandemic. Like many of our members in self-isolation at home and unable to travel to our boats, it has really come home to us how much the canals and rivers are an essential part of our lives. It also reminds us how precious these waterways are, and how […]
Mostly, but not all about Coronavirus
Editor, Peter Fellows, has news of other developments, even though little is happening on the waterways. The ramifications of the Coronavirus lockdown have dominated the waterway news for nearly eight weeks at the time of writing and these are widely reflected in this issue. CRT’s decision not to close towpaths to visitors initially caused an […]
National Inland Navigation Forum Meeting, March 2020
NINF met via a teleconference on Saturday 28th March 2020 with most member bodies represented, together with the General Secretary, Michael Stimpson. This Forum continues to be a useful meeting point bringing together navigational bodies involved in CRT, EA and other waterways. Present active members include DBA, AWCC, NABO, GOBA, HNBC, CBOA, IWA and RBOA. […]
