Archive for September, 2014

Looking Glass Eyes and the Laws of Physics

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014

Life along the Kennet and Avon canal has of late adopted a gently surreal Kafkaesque tone.

The latest offering from the CART is a letter telling people they haven’t ‘moved through enough neighbourhoods’ in the last three months. it ends with a black edged obituary box stating “YOU ARE AT RISK OF LOSING YOUR BOAT’.

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What to do if CRT tell you your boat has not been sighted in enough “neighbourhoods” in three months

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014

This month, many boaters received a letter from CRT alleging that their boat was sighted in less than the “required” number of “neighbourhoods” between Bath and Foxhangers during the three months from June to August 2014. These letters amount to harassment. The K&A Interim 12-month Local Plan was proposed and consulted on as a voluntary agreement, and therefore CRT cannot now state that boaters are “required” to travel through a specific number of “neighbourhoods”. One of the letters is pictured below.

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Volunteer enforcer harasses liveaboard without home mooring

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014

A volunteer mooring ranger told a boater without a home mooring recently that “You are one of those continuous cruisers that won’t follow the rules”, demonstrating a prejudiced attitude that is contrary to the job description for these volunteers.

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CRT ‘places’ maps were leaked

Monday, September 22nd, 2014

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request has confirmed the suspicions of many that CRT had not intended to publish the ‘places’ maps in August. Boaters who wanted to find out more were nonplussed by the absence of announcements on the CRT web site.

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Dragged like a donkey

Tuesday, September 9th, 2014

CRT have finally backed down in their latest high profile case against a long time liveaboard.

Some may be aware, or can catch up on t’net, of CRT’s attempts to get court sanction for 1. Validating the legality of, removing a license and issuing a Section 8 for breach of terms of their conditions and 2. trying to enforce a doctrine that says a boater with a home mooring must also follow the same rules as a boater without a home mooring.
This is stated in the Kennet and Avon Plan.

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Wiltshire boat fire safety visits start again

Friday, September 5th, 2014

Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service has started making boat fire safety visits to boats on the towpath again. Fire fighter Michael Franklin provided this update:

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CRT ignores Equality and Human Rights Commission demand to comply with Equality Act

Tuesday, September 2nd, 2014

CRT has ignored a letter from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) informing it that it must meet its obligations under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments to enable a boater who has a disability to communicate with the Trust.

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K&A boaters action group next meeting 8th September, Devizes

Monday, September 1st, 2014

The next meeting of the K&A boaters action group will be next Monday 8th September at 7.30pm in Devizes.

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CRT advertises welfare officer post

Monday, September 1st, 2014

CRT has advertised its new Welfare Officer post. The closing date is 12th September.

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