One law for 'them'...

A REGULAR contributor asked if Canal & River Trust deliberately discriminate against boaters concerning the running of generators, explaining:

I sent the following email to CaRT Customer Services. (Names and places have been removed to protect those involved.)

Hello,

I am presently moored near the CaRT yard just east of ****** on the ***** canal.

This morning I was awakened at 07:30 by a generator started by the staff in the CaRT yard!  This is the third morning in succession that this generator has been started at 07:30.

Can you please remind your staff that there is a general rule not to run generators etc outside the 08:00 to 20:00 timeslot in a built up areas or when there are boats moored nearby?

Thank you

Permitted by law

I eventually received this reply:

Dear Mr ******,

Thank you for raising this matter with us.

I have spoken to the local team who cover the ***** area and they have confirmed that its is the construction team of the Canal & River Trust who are using generators and that by law they are permitted to use generators between 07:00 and 23:00.

Its boaters are requested to refrain from using generators between 08:00 and 20:00, construction have different rules and laws.

Kind regards

***** *****

Customer Service Administrator

One rule for them...

So, we boaters have to wait until 08:00 before we can run our generators or engines and and have to turn them off again at 20:00 but CaRT staff can run theirs from 0700 to 2300!

So, it's one rule for them and a different rule for us is it? Couldn't that be defined as discrimination!

I also notice that the reply states 'Its boaters who are requested to refrain from using generators...'

Requested? Since when?

Not requested but compulsory

It's compulsory, as stated on the licence conditions! If it was only a request then it would not be obeyed by dozens of boaters and they could not be compelled to turn it off when they run it past 20:00 as many do now!

Or, am I to understand from this comment that the requirement to not run engines and generators etc outside the 08:00-20:00 time slot is no longer a part of the licence conditions?

Perhaps someone from CaRT would like to reply here and clarify the above points for us or will we just get the usual silence?

[The name of the writer has been withheld in this instance as believing there could be repercussions—Editor.]