CRT Policy News

Charging us more for less – CRT facilities policy

Friday, February 9th, 2024

CRT’s policy statement and report on its 2022 consultation on a minimum standard for boaters’ facilities, published on 30th May and 5th July 2023, states that CRT will increase its minimum cruising distance between facilities from 4 hours to 1 day, even though 25% to 35% of respondents (depending on the specific facility) thought a gap of 5 hours was too great. Since then we have had multiple reports of CRT closing facilities all around the waterways.

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CRT publishes new Boat Licence Terms and Conditions effective from 1st June

Wednesday, May 26th, 2021

On 24th May CRT published its revised Boat Licence Terms and Conditions which have been slightly re-worded but have not fully taken consultation responses into account.

The legal challenge to the new Boat Licence Terms and Conditions brought by the National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA) and other concerned groups and individuals will continue. The organisers are very grateful to all the supporters who contributed to the appeal to fund this. Now the outcome of the consultation is known, please  consider giving the appeal another push:

– Pledge £15, or any amount you can, on: www.crowdjustice.com/case/protect-boats-homes/

– Share the link www.crowdjustice.com/case/protect-boats-homes/ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat or spread the word in another way (eg to friends and family who are active on social media, through a blog or by email). Thank you!

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CRT threaten to remove boaters’ possessions from towpath between Avoncliff and Bridge 173 in April

Wednesday, March 24th, 2021

CRT has stated that it will remove any items left on or beside the towpath between Smelly Bridge (Bridge 173) and Avoncliff if these are not removed before April 2021. Due to the pandemic, CRT has provided a skip at Bridge 173 for boaters to dispose of any unwanted items.

CRT is threatening to terminate the licences of boaters who “persistently obstruct the towpath or use Trust land for storing items from their boat”. This is another reason to oppose and resist CRT’s proposed changes to the Boat Licence Terms and Conditions

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CRT U-turn on range expected during a 6-month restricted licence

Sunday, March 14th, 2021

CRT has stated that boaters without a home mooring on a restricted 6-month licence are not expected to cover the same range as those on a 12-month licence. Matthew Aymes, CRT Customer Support Manager, Licence Support (ie enforcement manager) said in an email on 23rd February 2021:

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Only a week left to oppose CRTs proposed changes to Boat Licence Terms and Conditions! Please respond now!

Monday, December 14th, 2020

The CRT consultation on proposed changes to Boat Licence Terms and Conditions ends on Monday 21st December 2020. You can only respond to the consultation online here https://wh.snapsurveys.com/s.asp?k=159843204588

Below we publish a short version of the previously published example response. Please respond if you can – if implemented, the proposals will drive some of our community off the water and into homelessness. Your response will carry more weight if you can put it in your own words, but the example response is a guide. You can download it here Short Example response to CRT Licence T&C consultation 2020

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Oppose CRT’s proposed changes to Boat Licence Terms and Conditions before 21st December

Sunday, November 22nd, 2020

The CRT consultation on changes to the Boat Licence Terms and Conditions ends on Sunday 21st December 2020. We think CRT’s proposals for changes to the Boat Licence Terms and Conditions are unreasonable and unlawful. Both the National Association of Boat Owners and the National Bargee Travellers Association are extremely concerned about these proposed changes. Please respond if you can.

Below we publish an example response to the consultation. It is really important that the views of liveaboard boaters are represented in this consultation. If implemented, the proposals will drive some of our community off the water and into homelessness. Please complete the consultation questionnaire opposing these proposals. Your response will carry more weight if you can put it in your own words, however the example response is a guide. You can download a copy of the example response here Example response to CRT Licence T&C consultation 2020

Unfortunately CRT has decided that consultation responses can only be completed online here https://wh.snapsurveys.com/s.asp?k=159843204588

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CRT suspends 14-day limit until mid-April due to UK coronavirus lock down

Tuesday, March 24th, 2020

As a result of the Government lock down announced yesterday 23rd March 2020, Canal & River Trust has issued the following statement:

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CRT national plans will make life more difficult for liveaboards, even with dry mixed recycling

Sunday, August 11th, 2019

CRT’s is pressing ahead with plans that will affect liveaboard boaters without a home mooring, mostly by making the lives of our community more difficult. Firstly CRT is developing plans that were announced in its 2017-18 Review of Boat Licensing.

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CRT’s plans for the K&A include more enforcement

Tuesday, August 6th, 2019

CRT’s interim Regional Director for Wales and the South West, Jon Horsfall, confirmed on 18th July 2019 that CRT remains “committed to delivering” the strategic programmes that were devised by former regional director Richard Thomas in conjunction with User Group Forums in 2018 and 2019 and a study day in which the liveaboard boating community was significantly under-represented despite efforts to persuade the former director to include us.

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Liveaboard family negotiate term time cruising pattern with CRT

Tuesday, September 4th, 2018

At least one liveaboard family without a home mooring has successfully negotiated a Term Time Cruising Pattern with CRT.

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