A JOINT working group has been established by Canal & River Trust (CaRT) and the Environment Agency (EA) to explore the different options for operating the EA river navigations.
It is the government's desire for the responsibility to be under one management, though this is contested by the EA, it stating it maintains its navigations much better that the Trust does its navigations.
No decision
The government believes 'this will help realise the benefits of a sustainable navigation and give the public greater involvement in the running of the waterways', though no decision has been made.
It is expected the working group will gather all information concerning the non-tidal rivers under the Agency's jurisdiction, and promises that it will listen to the views of users, though no contact details are given.
Not in favour
The Inland Waterways Association is of course backing the Trust in its desire to take over the EA waterways, though many EA boaters have told us that knowing of the state of the Trust's managed waterways are not in favour of any change.