Thames Navigation Users Forum on Wednesday 13 April
Andy Soper of the Dutch Barge Association and NABO Member, reports on this meeting: I attended a meeting of the Thames Navigation Users Forum on Wednesday 13 April. Some 25 people attended with about 15 from user organisations including all of the principal boating user organisations (RBOA, NABO, RYA, ATYC, TMBA, IWA ) along with […]
2021 Annual BSS report of incidents and accidents
Annual BSS report of incidents and accidents This report covers incidents recorded over the year from 1st January to 31st December 2021. In total there were 70 incidents on the inland waterways. There were 28 fires and CO incidents. Of these, the cause of 16 incidents (57%) is unknown/not conclusive/to be confirmed. In nine of […]
NABO’s regular meeting with CRT
NABO’s regular meeting with CRT On 7th February 2022, Mike Rodd and Anne Husar had their regular meeting with CRT’s Matthew Symonds and Rachel Howard and, on this occasion, Sean McGinley, who covered the situation regarding the Ferrybridge fish deaths and suspension of freight movement. Concerns over facility closures: the facility block at Sutton Cheney has […]
West Midlands: Birmingham boating parade
The Commonwealth Games are coming to Birmingham this summer and there are many events taking place. As part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival, celebrating the people, history and stories of our canals, CRT, the Birmingham Canal Navigations Society (BCNS ) and the IWA are organising a parade of boats on the weekend of 24th – 26th […]
CRT South West Annual Public Meeting – Thursday 7th April
A not a very well-attended meeting with only some 24 folk present (including numerous CRT people) but still a useful and well-structured session. The Regional Director, Mark Evans, gave a slick summary of the past year and of course highlighted the difficulties caused by the storms etc. He also emphasised the significant amount of non-boater […]
Boat Safety Scheme consultation
Boat Safety Scheme consultation In March, the BSS began consulting boaters on proposals contained in its Examination Checking Procedures. The revisions apply to checks used in examinations of privately owned boats, managed boats in private use, and boats subject to the 2017 Hire Boat Requirements. The consultation concerns the introduction of two mandatory BSS requirements […]
Crunch-time soon?
Crunch-time soon? Mike Rodd peers into a very uncertain future for the waterways. The coming months are going to be absolutely critical for all of us who boat on our inland waterways, as it is clear that reports into the futures of both CRT and the EA – as I have mentioned in my previous […]
CRT’s 2021 Annual Lockage Report
2021 Annual Lockage Report After Covid restrictions were lifted, most places recorded lockage counts that were close to pre-pandemic levels, although there was little boating in the first four months of 2021. Using 178 comparison sites, the report shows a 39.4% increase in total lockage from 2020 to 2021*. The estimated total lockage of all […]
Changes afoot
Editorial Changes afoot Peter Fellows on upcoming proposals for the BSS and main navigation authorities. I, like all NABO Councillors, was shocked to hear from John Devonald that he is seriously ill. He has stepped down from his roles with NABO and we all offer him our best wishes. The future of CRT and the […]
NABO calls for boaters to write to MPs
CRT are talking earnestly to the Government about the renewal of their contract to operate the canal and river system. Could there possibly be a worse time for CRT to negotiate a financial settlement with DEFRA and the Treasury? But they are trying, and it is time for us to press our MPs to support […]