Ridiculous figures

I HAVE just received the latest update from Damian at CART in which he informs me that 95% of boats are now licenced, writes Ray Watkins.

Did you pick that figure from the same air you found that 450,000,000 people were visiting the system every year? Did every man, woman and child really visit the system 10 times? Of course not.

Are 95% of boats licenced? Of course not.

22 boats not displaying

I am in the process of writing a cheque for £985 to licence my boat for the next year, yet, today I have cruised from Braunston Junction to Napton Junction, a dsitance of 5.5miles, and counted 22 boats not displaying a current licence.

Perhaps if you in the ivory tower were to visit the 'turf' once in a while and start to enforce what you preach you would have even more money to squander on duck pathways, poetry on locks, and turning the towpaths into cycle raceways.

You would also probably be able to fix the Middlewich breach without going cap in hand to those who already pay your salaries.

You failed miserably

Try to remember your true cause. It's not pubs and marinas, both of which you failed miserably at. It is the interests of those who pay you, namely us, the boaters.

I am still writing the cheque, but I question my sanity. I am sure I am in the minority, perhaps next year I will reconsider, after all, take the name and number off the boat, and how would you catch me?

In response

In response to the above, Canal & River Trust Customer Service Advisor, Natalie Jones, told Ray:

'I am sorry that you feel this way, the numbers are based on a boat check we undertake every year. I have copied in our information team for further numbers'.