Has CaRT no heart?
THAT is the question posed by our Pam Pickett in relation to the way that boaters Patrick and Elaine have been hounded by yet another callous enforcement officer—here is their story:
It was the final straw after a winter of severe weather aboard our boat, combined with what we believe was a campaign of harassment from our local enforcement officer.
A knock on the side of the boat confirmed my worst fears as I was handed a CC2 by said officer. "Don't you know that we have no engine?" I asked, but it did no good—the letter was thrust into my hand and there it was—the threat to take away our licence and ultimately our home.
Did not believe them
Previously my husband had told the enforcement officer that we were waiting to be towed into Farndon Marina to have a new engine fitted, supplying him with the phone number of both the mechanic and our insurance company, but he chose not to believe us.
From November to mid-January the Trent had either been in flood or running high and fast, and in addition we'd had snow and hazardously icy pontoons to contend with.
Twice we took a risk on a river still running dangerously fast because of pressure from CaRT, first being pulled towards a weir and secondly damaging the propshaft on rocks before turning back.
Pursue sanctions
It was our attempt to move from Farndon on 8th February that culminated in the engine over-heating and being damaged beyond repair, forcing us to limp back to Farndon pontoon. There followed a month of living aboard without an engine or power, made doubly difficult by CaRT's determination to pursue sanctions.
At this point I believed the Canal & River Trust really could make us homeless; we were powerless or so it felt. We had never felt so alone. There is so much more I could say about enforcement notices issued unjustly, but I have stuck to the times when our lives have been put in danger and our boat damaged through moving. We had always felt ourselves to be part of a positive organisation in CaRT, but I am afraid those feelings have been knocked out of us.
Living aboard is a wonderful way of life that should be protected at all costs.
Pam Pickett adds:
Because Elaine has to visit a local library to use a computer, given her circumstances time is of the essence for her. She has therefore agreed to allow me to add some of the remaining detail to her story. She asks that I make it clear she and her husband Patrick do not overstay unless of course this is made necessary by conditions beyond their control, i.e. floods.
Elaine's husband is again undergoing chemotherapy for an asbestos based cancer at the Leicester Royal Infirmary. Both Elaine and Patrick tell me that when they advised the local enforcement officer of the need for chemotherapy he said they must immediately move the boat to Leicester, although the Trent that had come off flood only on that day was still running dangerously fast.
Elaine says that when no-one was around CaRT's enforcement officer treated her like ‘trash', was derogatory about her way of life and suggested that she and Patrick were taking advantage of the flooding Trent only to enable overstaying. Elaine now says that she and Patrick, who is very unwell, can stand no more harassment. Given what this lady has to deal with it is so very sad that she and her husband have now found it necessary to leave the boat that is their home on a friends mooring, and to find temporary rented accommodation ashore.
Elaine does make an interesting point that others may also be in a position to comment upon. She says that despite the formerly very cold winter and virtually deserted moorings, as during the current flooding, she and Patrick have never been allowed to stay at any point with access to water, or Elsan disposal. She also says that at no time has she received any assistance from CaRT, rather the reverse, with even a key to open a gate for a mechanic to fit their new engine refused.
Elaine tells me she would be happy to speak to either the trust's Chief Executive Richard Parry, or to its Head of Enforcement Simon Salem, to discuss her comment.
Given the foregoing however I'm tempted to ask of either Richard Parry or Simon Salem where the words ‘reasonable' and ‘charity' fit with the Trust?