Boat licences up 13% year on year
TODAY, Monday, Canal & River Turst have announced a further increase in April of 9% on boat licences.
For those renewing
This means when combined with the interim increase introduced from 1st October 2022, this will be an overall year-on-year increase of 13% for those renewing an annual boat licence in the period from 1st April until 30th September 2023.
The trust states it is facing significant increases in a range of its costs, notably the prices of energy, fuel, materials and other construction costs which are rising by more than the headline consumer price index—that it relates stands at over 11%—leading to a projected shortfall in the Trust’s finances in 2023 and beyond.
Additionally, the trust understands the government grant payment, which goes towards the cost of maintaining the waterways, is frozen this year (and hence declining in real terms) and until 2027, with no certainty of what grant will be made available from 2027.
Highest levels of inflation
Richard Parry, chief executive at Canal & River Trust, explained:
“We are all facing the highest levels of inflation in over 40 years and, as the Trust’s costs soar, we must address the budget shortfall to safeguard navigation and the safe upkeep of the waterways. We recognise that our boating customers—both private boaters and waterway businesses—will also be feeling the effect of inflation across their personal finances, but we hope there is an understanding that this is an essential step to ensure the ongoing maintenance and repair of the historic canals and river navigations in our care.
“We continue to secure as much income as we can through our commercial and charitable activities and focus our resources on those priority works which are required to support navigation, and on controlling our costs where possible. Our network is old and vulnerable, especially to the extreme weather events that are becoming more common, and this winter we will deliver one of our largest programmes of repairs and maintenance to date, with large increases in our expenditure on vital reservoir safety works (which are mandatory under the UK Reservoirs Act) in particular.”
Another consultation
Looking further ahead, the trust proposes to carry out a consultation in 2023 to gather feedback on how boat licence pricing might look over the next ten years to support the long-term future of the waterway network.
The Trust relates it will continue to support boaters who may be struggling to pay their licence fees on a case-by-case basis. This may include arranging flexible payment plans and signposting to relevant services, for example the Waterways Chaplaincy, local authorities and Citizens Advice.
More information on boat licences is available here: canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/buy-your-boat-licence/long-term-boat-licences