Mooring on the Lancaster Canal

SOMETIMES the national, one-size fits all application of Canal & River Trust's Boating Rules just does not deliver equality, writes Eric Weiss.

The Lancaster Canal, which is closed off from the main system for all but 90 days a year and long suffering from financial neglect from being regarded as an insignificant backwater by all but its full licence fee paying users, we have a case to be heard.

Mooring abusers

We want to share the advantages of our unique historic waterway and extend a warm welcome to visitors bold enough to tackle the tidal passage. But whilst being a backwater for most of the year has its advantages, it also has a distinct downside; specifically from mooring abusers. This is where we deflect from general national community opinion that tends to be against what is regarded as over-officious mooring restrictions. From our point of view this, with reservations, is largely a welcome intervention and a response by CaRT to a local request, to address a major all year round problem.

Not to be unexpected, this has caused a flurry of dust and feathers from a handful of continuous cruisers who never leave this waterway and see themselves in danger of being denied their mooring places of preference and convenience of access to the amenities available that support their chosen life-style.

However much they feel put out, they have to accept that they are in a minority and accept that the less considerate amongst them, practice their ‘trade' impervious to the selfish impositions they place on the majority. In response to their objections to the trial 48s, CaRT North West held a meeting with the interested parties that included continuous cruisers, a visiting boater journalist, a representative from a nationally recognised association and local boaters with private moorings.

Myth of the right to moor

That the champions of continuous cruising, no doubt imbued with a sense of longing for the days of the ‘freedom' of the waterways and the ‘rights' of honest-toiling boater communities is understandable, don't we all fantasize just a little when underway? The fallacy of the myth of the right to moor wherever horse or human energies expired, is no longer appropriate, if indeed it ever was.

The Lancaster Canal is now a ‘leisure' facility first and foremost. It is no longer a career platform or a latter-day low-cost, life-style choice. There is something rather ironic in those hankering after the idyllic myth of the past that never was; something that today is a luxury pursuit is something that the working bargees never dared dream about.

Rationing of mooring opportunities

We want to revive our canal and afford it a sustainable future. To achieve this we need to attract visitors and accommodate all users, by providing a unique and enjoyable experience. To that extent we will all have to accept a certain amount of rationing of mooring opportunities at favourite stopping places, while still seeking to improve and extend safe mooring along its further length.