WE CAN now prove beyond any doubt that notwithstanding Canal & River Trust's denial, there was a campaign to 'Get Freeman'.
Ralph Freeman is one of our outspoken contributors, who representing narrowboatworld, has obviously upset—not he believes CaRT itself—but certain of its hierarchy, who resent this site for stating the facts.
Data Protection Act
Concerned not only with that now well known letter to the marina in which he moors during the winter months, but the obvious targeting and photographing of his boat, Ralph took the unusual step of using the Data Protection Act to obtain details of the supposed 'sighting', out came another can of worms!
For his boat was recorded where it wasn't!
On one particular day his boat was logged on the Staffs & Worcs Canal by A Barnett, below Penkridge Lock.
Yet two days later Keith Wright logs an E30 Overstayer Enforcement Notice at location CC-061-002, which appears to be somewhere in the Fradley region on the Coventry Canal!
24 miles away
However, in actual fact the Grey Nomad was moored with friends' boats above Brick Kiln Lock on the Staffs & Worcs on that date. 24 miles away! (See photograph—all of which are date stamped.)
His boat was sighted by CaRT employee E Sollars on the Staffs & Worcs on another particular date, but Ralph's log again shows he was not there, but at Compton, some 31 miles away!
Questions from Ralph
1) What is the overstaying notice doing on my record for a day when the boat was moored for a single day only above Brick Kiln Lock on the Staffs & Worcs and nowhere near the location given?
2) Why was the form sent to my mailbox in Derby when CaRT employees had information at their disposal that clearly showed I was in the Penkridge/Gailey area?
I have to ask if the form was that important why didn't the enforcement officer give me a copy or mention it to me when he logged my boat just three days later?
As I was 'outbound' at the time I didn't know of the form's existence until many weeks later when I returned to my home mooring and went over to Derby, by car, to collect my (snail) mail.
And there is more...
The saga continues
As to the letter to his marina, notwithstanding emails querying this to CaRT, no reason has been forthcoming.
He explained he had moored at Aston Marina for the past four years over the winter months, together with four weeks for 'pit stops', spending seven months out on the system and five months at the Marina, with Ralph remarking:
"Now following the Subject Access Request I made to CaRT I have evidence that the email was received by CaRT and passed over several desks but none of the occupants thought to acknowledge or reply. Why was that I wonder?"
Can provide proof
He provided the proof that the original letter from CaRT asked for, but no acknowledgement has been received, and certainly no reason for the letter being sent.
Ralph believes for some reason he is classed as a continuous cruiser, though her pays marina fees, commenting:"Copies of internal emails provided in the Subject Access Request also show, that despite having a home mooring at Aston Marina, it would appear I'm now classed as a continuous cruiser! Is there anyone else out there that moors five months in a marina and is classed as a continuous cruiser?"
"I have had no notice of the above change of status of my licence or an explanation as to what the original letter was all about, so I'm still none the wiser as to what is going on?"