CRT launch a “Boater Census”
The Canal & River Trust is launching the first ever Boater Census and is asking every boat licence holder to take part and help paint a picture of who boats on the charity’s waterways. The Boater Census has been designed with input from boater representatives on the Trust’s Council to help understand the different needs […]
Waterways Ombudsman Annual Reports for 2021/22.
The Waterways Ombudsman and the Waterways Ombudsman Committee issue Annual Reports for 2021/22. This is the third annual report of the current Ombudsman, Sarah Daniel. During the year, the Ombudsman received 63 enquiries, 51 of which were directly about the Canal & River Trust, one was about the Avon Navigation Trust, the others about bodies […]
Messing about on the … Mon & Brec
Mike Rodd contemplates future CRT funding, BSS examinations and ‘composite’ lock-gates during an extended cruise. How good it was to have another real meeting at Alvechurch, even if a few folk couldn’t make it – damn nuisance this boating! Good to see the pub flourishing and many boats moving. But strangely on the K&A we are […]
A focus on BSS (and our forgotten anniversary!)
A focus on BSS (and our forgotten anniversary!) The extended period of hot, dry weather has continued and, as predicted in the last issue, the more vulnerable canals are now seeing closures due to water shortages – particularly the Peak Forest and Macclesfield canals. Helen Hutt and Mark Tizard both comment on the lack of […]
Grass cutting update
Grass cutting update In April’s NABO News, we set the scene for CRT’s mowing plans for this summer. So how is it going? Well it is clear that not all is well. The only really good point is that there are a very great number of wild flowers on the towpath fringes.In an unprecedented admission, […]
Meeting with CRT in May
Meeting with CRT A summary of the meeting by Mike Rodd and Anne Husar with Matthew Symonds and Rachel Hayward in May. Facilities review: CRT anticipates that the first part of a consultation will take place later this summer and will cover minimum cruising distances between services (e.g. a five-hour cruising distance, but also take […]
Happy 30th, NABO
Happy 30th, NABO Although formed in 1991, last year’s pandemic distracted everyone from NABO’s 30th anniversary. Here’s a belated summary of some of the issues facing NABO 30 years ago. Formation Phil Bland and Jon Darlington formed NABO, joining forces with Syd Beacroft and Dave Green, who had called a meeting to form a boaters’ […]
The Broads and canals – they are not the same …
The Broads and canals – they are not the same … Mark Tizard is getting used to his new boating environment. Hire craft on the Broads seem to have got larger and ever more sophisticated, with two decks. I wonder if the hire market has peaked, with prices ranging from £1300 to £3300 a week, […]
South West and Wales
South West and Wales A not very well-attended meeting of the South West Users’ Group, 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. […]
Towpath trials
Towpath trials Carolyn (CJ) Green watches the goings-on from her tiller. As you already know, CRT doesn’t possess a magic money pot, so improving crumbling towpaths is not high on its list of priorities. Instead, they look to outside agencies (councils etc.) for assistance. When Sustrans decided to upgrade sections of towpath, CRT must have […]
