Will the government see through the 'Bargees' demands?
WITH heart-rendering stories of woman and children being made homeless and great hardships being suffered by the members of the Bargee Travellers Association on the Kennet & Avon Canal will the government see through its demands?
We must all know by now that notwithstanding the many 'horror' stories being purveyed of sick people, children unable to get to school and men too far from the dole office (yes!) and families risking losing their homes, that these people want to stay put in one place to enjoy all the benefits of a home mooring, but on a continuous cruiser licence.
Never mentioned
This of course is never mentioned in the campaigns, the latest being a march of '200' on Downing Street, telling the government its members are under pressure to move, that of course they do not want to. But will the government see through their ploy? If it refers it to Canal & River Trust, it will certainly be told that there are two major types of boat licence—one that includes a home mooring, where the boat can either stay put or cruise the system, and the other a continuous cruiser licence where the owner agrees to, well, continuously cruise.
As we know the 'Bargees' on the Kennet & Avon want the best of both worlds—a home mooring on a continuous cruiser licence. But it will not happen, for should the Trust give in to the demands, every Tom, Dick, Harry and his dog will be taking out such a licence but going nowhere.
Not an housing association
As the Trust has often told, it is not a housing association, and has no intention of being one, so if those 'Bargees' have to stay in one place to carry on with their lives, then they either get a home mooring on water or take to the land.
The sort of reasons given by the members are such as:
"This is a massive infringement on my personal freedom. It feels like harassment. I take my kids to nurseries in Bradford on Avon and Bath so we cannot afford to move too far away."
Which really shows they have to stay in one place, which a continuous cruiser licence does not allow, which they really must realise...