A boater recently made this Freedom of Information request to BW and got the answer below which suggests that most of the pending legal action against boaters is about licence evasion rather than overstaying, and that BW may be carrying out unlawful enforcement action against 8 boats without home moorings.
The local mooring strategy steering group met again on 8 November. We are able to provide notes of most of the discussion, taken by a volunteer, which are at the end of this article.
The most significant point that emerged at this meeting was the fact that there is a strong consensus among the different interest groups – liveaboard and other boaters, the hire boat industry, local authorities and parish councillors – around the table on the following points:
Photo: Bob Naylor KAcanalTIMES.co.uk
The boaters’ carol service will take place at Dundas Aqueduct on Saturday 4th December at 6pm. As the picture from last year shows, this is a magical event enjoyed by boaters and local residents alike. There will be mince pies afterwards. The service is organised by Canal Ministries, who also offer free food all year round to people in need on the waterways.
Boaters' children at the carol service in 2009
Photo: Bob Naylor KAcanalTIMES.co.uk
Ten adults and three children carried out a Gordon Brown-style (who?) deep clean of the towpath between Bradford lock and Limpley Stoke on Saturday 13th November. Mark Stephens, Manager of the Kennet and Avon Canal, took time out of his weekend to greet the towpath tidiers and was suitably impressed by the first Bradford on Avon Star Class work boat, built at Bradford Wharf in 2008.
The last Kennet and Avon Canal User Group meeting took place on 29 September. A volunteer has kindly provided us with a transcript of the discussion, which you can read in full below if you want to know what took place. The volunteer says “Despite my best efforts, these notes are likely to be partial in both senses of the word. Occasionally I have added my own thoughts as footnotes where it seemed appropriate.” Here it is:
The Leader of BANES Council listens to the boaters Photo: Bob Naylor KAcanalTIMES.co.uk
The beautiful sundial constructed to commemorate the K&A 200th anniversary was unveiled on 30 October at lock 10 on the Widcombe flight in Bath. Boaters attended the ceremony in order to hand out leaflets informing the public that BW’s unlawful new policies will make liveaboard boaters homeless.
Everyone is welcome to join us on a Towpath Tidy on Saturday 13th November. Meet at 11am outside the Canal Tavern in Bradford on Avon. We plan to tidy the towpath between Bradford on Avon and Dundas. There will be a work boat to carry the rubbish. This boat is Ishtar, the first Bradford Star Class traditional working boat.
The first Bradford-on-Avon Star Class narrow boat
Bring protective gloves, a wheelbarrow, a bike trailer or a boathook if you have them. We will provide bin bags, litter picking spikes and some extra gloves. There will be handwashing facilities provided at Dundas. All towpath users are welcome to join in.