Eviction of boat dwellers

THE threat of Canal & River Trust (CaRT) to take enforcement action against two thirds of the 5,400 boaters who chose not to have a ‘home mooring' has misfired in spectacular fashion, writes Allan Richards.

A petition, addressed to the prime minister, to ‘prevent the eviction of boat dwellers' has attracted massive support.

Will take enforcement

On 13th February CaRT issued a press release suggesting that it will take enforcement action against about 3,600 boaters because they don't move their boat far enough or often enough to meet the Trust's published ‘Guidance for Boaters without a Home Mooring'.

Last Thursday, a petition to ‘prevent the eviction of boat dwellers' was started and gained four thousand signatures in the first 24 hours. Now the number of signatories is about 10,000.

How far?

The press release follows meetings with national boating user groups where the Trust failed to gain agreement as to the distance that a boat without a home mooring should travel with a majority of groups saying that it was a matter for the Trust to decide.

Groups were subsequently told that 66% of boats without a home mooring were recorded as travelling in a range of less than 20kms (about 12 miles). CaRT's chief executive agreed that that the Trust should develop a clear response to the question ‘how far should I travel to comply' and assured groups that this was already being drafted.

Under threat

However, CaRT's press release fails to provide that ‘clear response' and the ‘Guidance for Boaters without a Home Mooring' has not been updated. As such 3,600 boats without a home mooring and recorded as travelling under 12 miles now feel under threat of losing their homes as has already happened in the case of Geoff Mayers.

The petition can be found at <PETITION>