Continuous Cruisers to get no discount owing to Bargees interference

IT SEEMS like the continuous moorers have got the authorities screwing continuous cruiser licencers from all directions, writes Keith Gudgin.

Not only do CaRT want to screw us out of more money than other boaters but the government now say continuous cruisers are not entitled to the £400 discount like other households and even other boaters??

From its website: https://www.gov.uk/apply-energy-bill-support-if-not-automatic

No discount

We get:

'You also cannot apply for a discount if you live: on a boat with a continuous cruising licence (currently under review)'

Why?

Don't boats with a continuous cruising licences need heating?
Don't we have to pay the increased cost of fuel like everyone else?
Why have we been singled out like this to be told we don't qualify?
Why is it that only those who have a mooring are allowed to claim?

How fair is that?

In the form of a discount

Why cannot the money be given to us by Canal & River Trust? It could be in the form of a discount on our licence then any boat will only get it once and therefore you must be licenced to get it!

Ah, but wait a minute, some boaters will not like it that way because it will stop fraudulent multiple claims and those who want to stay off the radar and hidden from authority by not buying a licence for their illegal boats will not get anything! That's their hard luck? It'll certainly help sort some of the wheat from the chaff!

At least paying it via a licence fee discount would mean that those of us who pay our way and play by the rules will get it?

Shot themselves in the foot

Seems like one of the bargees groups have shot themselves in the foot by arguing, not only to whom, but also about the way, it was to be paid in the first place. They have screwed it up, not only for themselves, but for the rest of us as well with their ignorance, their greed, their selfishness and their refusal to obey rules and laws.

They appear to have now succeeded in getting both CaRT and the government to see all continuous cruisers as an untrustworthy, unentitled separate faction who don't deserve to be treated fairly with the rest of the boating community?

Not all continuous cruisers are what have been described as continuous moorers. Most of us obey the rules and, more importantly, the spirit of continuous cruising! We do not like, nor do we aspire to, the aims of some so called bargees groups!

We don't all wish to be looked at as members of their group. We want to obey the rules as written and do not wish to be looked upon nor treated as a member of a non-compliant group!

Subjected to sanctions

They have an answer to their mooring problems but refuse to take it up as they have no wish to pay a fair mooring fee! This then means that all continuous cruisers are now seen as freeloaders by the authorities and are, as a consequence, being subjected to sanctions and higher fees.

We can only assume the bargee group responsible for this are well pleased with their achievement and have learnt something from it? The rest of us have certainly learnt something about them!

Let us hope that all this is remembered by the law abiding majority of continuous cruisers and they see this group for what it really is?