THE All Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group have expressed concern at the Lake District National Park's decision not to adopt the Boat Safety Scheme following the Windermere carbon monoxide (CO) tragedy. (No boat safety scheme.)
The Group believe that opportunities have been missed for greater CO safety in the Lake District to make Lake Windermere a safer environment.
Lost their lives
Mother and daughter Kelly Webster, 36 and Lauren Thornton, 10, both lost their lives in a carbon monoxide tragedy on a boat trip in 2013 on Lake Windermere, Cumbria.
In its subsequent report, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch recommended that the Lake District National Park authority adopt the Boat Safety Scheme as a means to improve safety on its waterways, but the Lake District National Park Authority has voted not to adopt the scheme.
Expressed concern
The All Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group has expressed concern regarding the Lake District National Park Authority's decision not to follow the recommendation made by the Marine Incident Accident Board to adopt the Boat Safety Scheme.
Kelly Webster, 36, and Lauren Thornton, 10, lost their lives in 2013, when they were overcome by CO, which had been emitted from a portable generator that had been installed incorrectly in the boat's engine bay.
Minimise the risk of tragedies
In the report following its investigation into the incident, the Marine Investigation Accident branch stated that the Lake District National Park should 'adopt the Boat Safety Scheme as a means of improving safety on inland waterways', and minimise the risks of similar tragedies occurring in future. However, the Lake District National Park Authority has voted not to follow the MAIB's recommendations to adopt the scheme.
The All Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group Co-chairman Barry Sheerman, MP, expressed his concern about this decision, responding:
"An opportunity has been missed to make the boats on the lakes' waters safer, and therefore their passengers safer from the threat of carbon monoxide poisoning."
Strangely, the Boat Safety Scheme is already in operation in other waters of the Lake District.