All NABO Members Urged To Complete EA Registration Consultation
The Environment Agency are consulting on their proposals relating to Boat registration. Charges are to apply from 1st January 2022. The web site link is: https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/environment-and-business/nav-boat-reg-charge/ The proposals apply to all navigable waterways managed by the Environment Agency i.e. principally the non-tidal Thames, Anglian Waterways and the Medway. The proposals are wide ranging and, whilst […]
Thames moorings U turn for EA
The Thames EA have issued an update regarding the Thames moorings management contract with District Enforcement. The Environment Agency’s contract with District Enforcement, will be brought to an end from 30th September 2021. They say that this decision has been taken following a review that subsequently identified issues with our internal procurement processes, rather than as […]
West Midlands
Peter Braybrook reports Since the last Council meeting, I attended the WM Regional Forum on 25th May. I have commented to Matthew Symonds about the constant spin that boaters only pay a fifth of the cost of canal upkeep. I have noticed that there are more infrastructure failures than ever – Hillmorton locks and Factory locks […]
Time to cut the grass?
Time to cut the grass? Last year I wrote a long article about towpath mowing (‘One man went to mow’, Issue 4, July 2020). I write now with an update. CRT and the Navigation Advisory Group (NAG) have worked on the mowing regimes over the last 12 months to improve the mapping on the towpath […]
Letter to members – CRT’s T&Cs
Anne Husar finds key issues not consulted on, which could negatively impact boaters. As many of you will be aware, there has recently been yet another revision of CRT’s Terms and Conditions (T&C’s) for private boaters. This latest publication follows their admission of ‘errors’ in previous drafts which has now led to two of the […]
A blow-by-blow account of the terms
In mid-2020, CRT commenced a consultation on the private boat licence terms and conditions. They did not invite comment on the whole document, but limited the consultation to nine items of change. NABO made three submissions: on the consultation; on the privacy policy and a third on the readability of the terms and privacy documents. […]
Has any notice been taken of us? Of course not…
Mike Rodd compares and contrasts the BSS with navigation authorities. I must be terribly naïve! In my simple mind, if I were applying to the Government to continue/extend a multimillion ongoing annual grant, I would want my most influential and committed customers to be supporting my application and giving it as much positive publicity as […]
Time for a rethink?
Editor, Peter Fellows, considers an alternative to the present CRT structure Two aspects have dominated NABO’s work since the last issue: CRT’s new licence terms and conditions and the threats to the waterway heritage. The T&Cs continue to exercise people who realise the significance of the changes – unfortunately not the majority of boaters. I’ve […]
Heritage and the Canal and River Trust.
During the last century, British Waterways began the sale of canalside properties, listed or otherwise, and this has been continued over the years by the Canal and River Trust (CRT). Although a recent Freedom Of Information request asking how many listed buildings have already been sold was denied, seasoned boaters and canal enthusiasts could easily […]
Trouble signing in?
I see a few members trying to sign in and failing. I get an email every time this happens, so I know what is going on. The system is working ok, or I would not be able to write this, but there be gremlins about. I have done some maintenance clean up on the system […]
