Are prompt payment discounts fair to boaters?

A READER contacted us regarding the Canal & River Trust’s 5% prompt payment discount for renewing his licence online. As he doesn’t have internet access, he rang the trust to pay by card but was told there was only a 2.5% discount for doing it this way and felt this was unfair.

He claimed this was a way of increasing licence fees through the back door, the discount having decreased from 10%, then 5%, to 2.5% now.

A Canal & River Trust spokeswoman replied that the measures followed a licensing consultation in 2017/18. “We made some changes to the ‘prompt payment’ discount, which have come in over the past few years (starting in April 2019).

“Now it’s split into two parts – you can get a 2.5% discount for paying all in advance (which your reader has received), and you can get another 2.5% discount for paying online (including direct debit payments, which makes it available to those who can’t afford to pay everything upfront).

“We think this is the fairest way of managing things for the benefit of all boaters.”

What do you think? Write or email us at the postal or email addresses above.