Lack of enforcement at Braunston

MORE and more boaters are complaining about the total lack of enforcement of the mooring rules at Braunston, and so are sceptical of the new mooring rules being enforced, and Kevin McNiff writes:

I have been to, and through, Braunston several times since 17th May, the last being today 30th. The amount of overstaying going on there is monstrous and clearly demonstrates that CaRT are not enforcing the current regime—from right under its nose at the Stop House!

Heading for failure

This is why any attempt to introduce a new one is on a heading for failure. It caused me to email the local officer who, surprise surprise, was out in the hissing rain yesterday checking numbers! Result? I hope so.

Why on earth does CaRT not recognise the strategic and historic significance of Braunston? It should have been the one place to have 'Honey Pot' status surely. Some boats there continually bridge-hop between the 48/14 days areas both sides of the Turn. Some even have 'permission to stay' notices. Where is the queue for that then!

Everyone suffers

I do agree if there is a genuine case however, illness or breakdown. The return limits are clearly aimed at these bridge hoppers but everyone will suffer because of the few.

To make matters worse, the Boat House pub (a Marstons two-for-one restaurant) have four hours stay limit in summer which they cannot even try to enforce. They are so busy with patrons from the road they don't have time to do so! Some boat crews mooring there don't even go in for a drink, let alone eat.

Use visitor moorings

And it doesn't help when boats bearing the location Braunston, tie up
on the visitor moorings when, perhaps, they have a billet in the marina and three miles or so of very good Armco to tie up to towards Napton?

I became a continuous cruiser in April because I had lost any confidence in the South East to successfully enforce overstaying in Lower Heyford. I have chosen to go into a marina for winter—better facilities. And all these new sites are in the South East.

Do what they want

Boaters who deliberately stay over in Braunston do so because they know that since the demise of mooring wardens, they can do exactly what they like without challenge. It may not help either when the time limits have dual display—48 hours in April to September 14 days October to March. Oh so easy to claim you didn't see the top one!

Before it starts this new scheme, CaRT must step up and sort out Braunston. (Yet it always gets sorted for the historical rally—funny that.)

Maffi's comments ring true. If you want to stop in a busy spot, get there early or you'll lose out. Thrupp, on the other hand already has its own enforcement scheme which is rigidly enforced, so you do stand a chance.