How to get our voice heard
Mark Tizard, general secretary of the National Association of Boat Owners (NABO), comments on some more topical issues.
THIS month is the NABO AGM and the key subject for discussion is ‘How to get our voice heard’ and it strikes me this is a question for the wider boating community.
The vast majority of boaters go boating to get away from the hassles of everyday life; for the majority it’s a recreational activity so as a group we are pretty apathetic when it comes to anything to do with the management of the waterways. Despite boater satisfaction being on a downward trend in recent years, boaters tend to shrug their shoulders and just accept the issues. Look at the recent consultations with low response rates.
Both the Environment Agency and Canal & River Trust have had a record number of infrastructure stoppages over the last couple of years with their apparent ‘wait until it breaks’ philosophy but does anybody really care? CRT’s annual report tells us record amounts are being spent on maintenance yet much of this seems to have been put aside for future reservoir maintenance of Toddbrook and other reservoirs as a consequence of the recent inspection/ maintenance regime that previously perhaps was not so rigorous. Is the reality that less is actually being spent on ongoing maintenance projects?
The canalside heritage continues to be sold off, two more listed London canalside properties this month. I was told by a major boating organisation that CRT’s heritage assessment discussed with them showed that the buildings cost more to maintain than they generate in revenue (despite this being unlikely in this case) and that this ‘campaigning’ organisation ‘was not concerned about loss of waterways heritage’. Really?
Other issues boaters could raise could include vegetation management especially when line of sight is obscured. The introduction of HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) as the preferred fuel across the network rather than focus on re-engineering boats to electric which is not feasible for the majority needs shouting about.
Lastly CRT is no doubt working hard behind the scenes persuading Defra to renew its grant. Boaters need this to happen; it’s in all our interests that Government recognises the importance of the canal and river network as a national asset to be treasured by the population as a whole. It’s a shame that CRT would appear not to need boaters or boating organisations to help them shout this from the cabin top. We should all be engaged with maximising the funding for the waterways; as I said at the top maybe it’s time for us to start a campaign to get our voices heard, both with the navigation authorities and with Government.
A difficult decision
Well for me it’s an end of an era; after 40 years of boat ownership from dinghies, a Broads cruiser to 30 years on the canals we are hanging up our windlass and leaving the cut. Not an easy decision to make as the pull is strong and we may yet get a small boat on the Broads.
Trying to sum up our reasons is difficult as there are many. Over the last few years we have found it increasingly difficult to enjoy boating to the full. We are not getting any younger and the locks are getting increasingly harder to operate, paddles stiff and gates badly balanced.
Having a long, deep-drafted boat is becoming more of a challenge as the bottom gets nearer to the top especially when mooring. We used to enjoy planning a long voyage; now it’s a challenge with what appears to be annual water shortages, a growing number of breaches and stoppages having the potential to disrupt planned navigation.
Lastly there has been a change in the canals over the last decade or so – canalside pubs have either closed or been turned into gastro pubs. Lockside cottages and other heritage sites are just sold off; infrastructure looks and is neglected and increasingly new boaters seem to have no awareness of established canal etiquette, whether that being waiting/helping another boat through locks to mooring considerately or not running engines or generators long into the evening.
The towpath community, once its great strength, is under pressure compounded by a canal authority who appear more focused on PR spin and signage than ensuring safe navigation. Towpath users appear to be pampered while boaters are constantly reminded by CRT how little they contribute financially. Ineffectual enforcement of a few means ever more rules and regulations for the majority.
Regrettably for us we have decided we can get more bang for our buck emotionally and financially elsewhere. This is not a whinge, just a personal reflection as the canal has given us so much for which we will be forever grateful. I will be remaining a member of NABO but leaving NABO Council and thus handing over this column to the capable hands of my colleague Peter Braybrook.