Pressure mounts for scrapping consultation

FOLLOWING hard on the footsteps of the National Association of Boat Owners and the Residential Boat Owners Association that the proposed draconian mooring rules be deferred, the London Boaters Group have now joined in the general condemnation:

Given the number of consultations and proposals recently and currently being undertaken by Canal & River Trust and the Inland Waterways Association, London Boaters Group have consensually produced the following Statement which it is hoped will be seen to approach the matters giving rise to the SE Moorings Consultation in particular, and the problems CaRT seems to be encountering in managing use of the waterways in general.

All anyone should need

1) London Boaters Group reject any proposal of Local Mooring Permits, as the Licence already paid for by boaters is all the permit anyone should need. The hope that this policy will both raise revenue for the Trust and drive down the number of eligible boaters to zero through their withdrawal to terrestrial accommodation, emigration or death is neither necessary nor likely to prove effective. London Boaters believe rather that the year-round presence of boaters in London and throughout the country benefits the waterways. This has been supported by our own research in response to the Lee and Stort consultation.

2) Community Moorings, as understood by London Boaters, are a means of developing offline moorings as a community run project. They should not encroach upon towpath mooring, which will remain open to all boaters for the 14 day period, or longer, as specified by Law.

Focus resources

3) Although London Boaters welcome the introduction of Winter Mooring Permits in the place of towpath closures, our proposal would be for the Trust to relax enforcement through the winter, when waterways use is lower, and to focus their resources instead on keeping a steady turnover of boats on the more popular mooring sites throughout the summer, applying only measures in keeping with the word and the spirit of existing legislation and in co-operation with other waterways users.

4) Current discussion of Non-Compliant Continuous Cruising, Capacity, Overcrowding and Honeypot Sites, and consequent attempts at managing life on the waterways through restrictions, permissions and enforcement are and will remain ill-informed and ineffective until academic qualitative and quantitative research is conducted.

Maintenance

5) Only when the responsibilities of CaRT to carry out canal, lock and towpath maintenance are given their due attention, and are sufficiently financed, will the full potential of the waterways to provide homes, workplaces, and an attractive and sustainable environment for all users be properly measured or understood.

6) London Boaters Group believe that priority should be given to the provision of services and security on the towpath for all waterways users, over and above the current focus on restrictions, permissions and enforcement. This will surely result in an improved experience of the canals and rivers for all and the preservation of a unique and valuable way of life.