A BATTLE is taking place against the huge number of residential boats crammed on the Regents Canal fronting canal-side homes.
The residents of Noel Road in Angel are banding together to get rid of the boats, having 'had enough' of acrid smoke from boat engines, smoke from boat stoves and noisy generators running at all hours, night and day, Alan Tilbury reveals.
A mockery
Though around six narrowboats are allowed at the 14 days moorings opposite their properties close to Danbury Bridge, at present there are 20 boats crammed in, two and three abreast, with the residents stating that the 14 days rule is a mockery.
At the moment, local councillor Martin Klute is in touch with Canal and River Trust, and demanding that it enforces its 14 days rules.
He wants the authority to take action where canal by-laws are blatantly being broken, stating:
Huge increase
"This isn't a case of snobby residents complaining about narrowboats, but over the last two years there's been a huge increase in vessels using the site.
"Not only are double or treble the number of boats tying up at the temporary moorings, which is against the canal by-laws, but many of these boat owners are running noisy generators which shake and rattle windows and disturb residents at all times of the day or night.
Dirty fuel
There are residents so upset by the noise they are considering moving out, prompted by the use of dirty fuel in place of the expensive smokeless fuel, that is against the council's anti pollution laws. 'The black dirty smoke penetrates the houses when the wind is in the 'wrong' direction, the councillor added.
A solution put forward by CaRT is to make the area a permanent residential mooring, but this has met with disapproval, as though it may lessen the problem, it will not solve it.
A spokesman for CaRT tells us:
'We are a charity'
"We are a charity and, as such, we do not have infinite resources but we do urge boat users and residents to work together. There are signs that forbid the use of smoky fuels and remind boat users not to run their engines between 8pm and 8am."
However, it needs stronger action, or else the residents' action could lose boaters valuable visitor moorings, that are already in very short supply in the city.