EA Navigation Consultation – boat registration charges proposals from 1 Jan 2022

EA have advised us as follows: We are pleased to announce that our Navigation charges consultation is now live. The consultation will be running for 8 weeks, until 16 September 2021.  You will find the Navigation charges consultation page, together with all the relevant information on Citizen Space – https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/environment-and-business/nav-boat-reg-charge. We do encourage you and your […]

CRT Terms and Conditions – NABO letter to members

Following the last NABO Council meeting it was resolved to write to our members (and CRT) outlining our continuing concerns.   As many of you will be aware there has recently been yet another revision of the Canal and River Trust’s (CRT) Terms and Conditions (T&C’s) for private boaters. This latest publication follows their admission […]

NABO responds to CRT Terms and Conditions

NABO has written today to CRT asking them to delay the introduction of the revised terms (for private boat licences), until they have been consulted. The letter reads: NABO is naturally disappointed that in the six months since our submission to CRT the Trust has made no effort to respond to the detailed points raised […]

CRT pull a rabbit out a hat.

CRT have this week published their intended wording for boat licence terms and conditions. This follows a consultation in 2020. There is also a report on the consultation. You can read the details here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/weve-updated-our-boat-licence-terms-and-conditions CRT unhelpfully say “After such a positive and constructive response to the consultation with respondents largely recognising the purpose and […]

South West

South West Regional report I attended the meeting of the non-Wales part of the Wales and South West Region chaired by David Hagg, who leads the South West Regional Advisory Board. As is usual now, the concentration was on everything non-boating, but fortunately Ed Helps, a member of the Board and CEO of ABC, did […]

CRT investments

Mark Tizard, Anne Husar and Peter Fellows respond to a recent CRT statement. CRT inherited a portfolio of properties from BW, some of which are needed for its operations. In a statement, it says that others were specified as investments to provide an income stream to fund ongoing maintenance. It also claims that it has […]

Time for a rethink?

Editor, Peter Fellows, considers an alternative to the present CRT structure. This issue reflects two concerns that have been raised recently regarding the poor state of the canal infrastructure and the loss of waterway heritage. There are currently a record number of unplanned canal closures and lock or culvert failures, especially in the North. Given […]

Worcs and B’ham stoppages

  Birmingham University train station is undergoing redevelopment, which requires a series of 29-hour closures of the canal and towpath. This is to enable large sections of the station building framework and canal footbridge to be lifted across the canal. The stoppages will be between 00.30 on Sundays and 05.00 on Mondays on the following dates: 27th […]

Bridgewater bookings

Following an agreement with the Bridgewater Canal Company, CRT-licensed boaters wishing to access the Bridgewater Canal, must now pre-book the visit using the on-line booking system (https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/planning-your-boat-trip/booking-your-passage-online), after you have set up a customer account, or by phone on 0303 0404040. Outbound passage, free of charge, is limited to a maximum of seven continuous days […]

Disabled boaters’ forum

Ken Hylins reports on the meeting on 12th April. I attended this meeting for the first time with an open mind as to what to expect. There were seven people in the Zoom meeting: Matthew Symonds (Chairing) and Rachel Heywood from CRT, a waterway chaplain and other people with an interest in this matter. The […]