A NEW boating association has been formed under the banner 'Striving to make our UK waterways better for all'.
Primarily at this time the Accessible Waterways Association is hoping to help disabled boaters by issuing them with a 'Blue Badge' that can be displayed on a boats' window, as to those issued to motorists.
Fully independent
This it tells is a fully independent of all waterways authorities and has been set up to inform, represent, and assist people who live with disabilities, impairments or accessibility issues, and who want to enjoy the Inland Waterways and their surrounding environments.
This may be as a boater (either living aboard or holidaying), a hire-boat owner, an angler, a cyclist, a gongoozler, a walker/wheeler on the towpaths, or a volunteer or staff member of any of the many waterways authorities.
Its members are all people living with a disability or long-term health condition, and/or their carer(s). The Accessible Waterways Association fully recognises that not all disabilities are obvious, labelled or even diagnosed. We strive to be inclusive and to understand and reflect the interests of all our members and states:
Work with authorities
"Our aim is to work with the various waterways authorities in developing and implementing policies, works, and strategies to make the waterways accessible to as many people as possible. We have to acknowledge that a lot of the waterways network is ancient and so heritage limits the extent to which adaptations can be made. However, we believe that there comes a point where heritage has to give way to progress. The Accessible Waterways Association will do everything we can to work with the various agencies/authorities to try to find ways to adapt that heritage in a sympathetic way, to accommodate the needs of all.
"Unlike the car blue badge scheme, the Boaters’ Blue Card will not carry any entitlement to moor in otherwise restricted/forbidden spots (eg, a car blue badge holder is entitled to park on double yellow lines for a limited time). However, we are working closely with the Canal & River Trust and other waterways authorities to agree how the Blue Card system will work and how it might complement their existing equalities adjustment process.
"Our aim is to raise awareness of the fact that there are disabled people aboard boats on our inland waterways, as this seems to come as a surprise to some people. The Accessible Waterways Association also wants to break down barriers, and influence public attitudes and behaviours toward and around disabled people. The Accessible Waterways Association wants disabled waterways users to have a voice and some influence to effect change for better. We will continually strive to work in partnership with the various waterways authorities and other relevant agencies to achieve this. We also want to enable our members to connect with and support one another.
Accessible mooring spot
Of the association, 'Damian' of the Boaters' Update explained on behalf of the Canal & River Trust:
'It is worth noting that the BBC does not carry any special dispensations to the normal rules of boating. Nor does it give the bearer any entitlements or priorities. However, it does help to authenticate the bearer’s use of a designated ‘accessible mooring’ spot.
Regret but no uptdates until Wednesday—Editor.