Continuous Cruisers « Kennet and Avon Boating Community Website

Continuous Cruisers

The original reason this website was set up, the campaign by British Waterways to remove all liveaboard boaters from the Kennet and Avon who have no permanent mooring. The so-called continuous cruisers.

BaNES consultation on Mead Lane moorings, respond by 31st Oct, drop-in session 22nd Oct

Friday, October 11th, 2019

BaNES Council is holding another consultation about the moorings at Mead Lane, Saltford, on the River Avon. The deadline is 31st October 2019. Please respond to this so that the views of boaters without a home mooring are heard. The survey is here:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/MeadLane

There will be a a drop-in consultation session for the boating community on Tuesday 22nd October 2019 between 5pm and 8pm at Bath Cricket Club, North Parade Rd, Bath BA2 4EX. Please go if you can and make sure that BaNES Council understands how important it is for liveaboard boaters to continue to be able to moor at Mead Lane for 14 days and how this can make the difference between being able to renew your licence with no problems and having your licence restricted to 6 months or renewal refused with the consequent risk of Section 8 and homelessness.

Boats Are Homes demo and flotilla, London, 24th-25th May

Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019

A ‘Boats Are Homes’ demonstration in London will take place on 24th May 2019 starting with a rally on the Grand Union Canal next to Paddington station at 1pm and marching to the Canal & River Trust office at Little Venice, handing out leaflets to the public.

On Saturday 25th May at 12 noon the Paddington Party and Flotilla will begin on the canal near Paddington station.

Outreach boat at Bathampton, 5th December

Sunday, December 3rd, 2017

The Boaters’ Cafe Club outreach boat Litania will be at Bathampton Wharf next Tuesday 5th December 2017 from 12 noon to 4pm.

Come and be crafty and make some colourful woolly things to yarnbomb along the canal at a later event in early spring! Clare Brown will be running the workshop, aimed at liveaboard boaters who would like support with wellbeing and mindfulness.

Outreach boat at Dundas, 7th November: paper copies of CRT licence consultation and spoken word/ poetry workshop available!

Thursday, November 2nd, 2017

The Boaters’ Cafe Club outreach boat will be at Dundas basin next Tuesday 7th November 2017 from 12 noon to 4pm. The main attraction is a spoken word and poetry workshop with Dru Marland. The workshop is aimed at boaters who would like support with wellbeing and mindfulness. The loose theme of the workshop will be “outsiders”.

Why car parking has become more important for liveaboards

Tuesday, August 22nd, 2017

Please respond to Mead Lane consultation below

As liveaboard boaters without home moorings are being unlawfully forced by CRT to travel longer distances to avoid having our homes seized and removed, many of us have also been forced to use cars to get to work and take children to school, when previously we could rely on cycling and public transport. Many are now having to travel to work or school from places that are much further away, including rural Wiltshire and Berkshire, where public transport is poor or non-existent.

River Avon boaters needed to represent liveaboards at River Users Forum, 11th July, Saltford

Thursday, July 6th, 2017

A few more liveaboard boaters are needed to attend the River Avon Users Forum meetings to represent the boating community. The next meeting is on Tuesday 11th July at 7.30pm in Saltford Rowing Club, Bath Road, Saltford, BS31 3JS (next to Saltford Marina).

BaNES Council trial of 14 day moorings at Mead Lane in support of liveaboards

Thursday, November 10th, 2016

BaNES Council presented its mooring trial and parking review for Mead Lane on the River Avon at the Saltford Parish Council meeting on 1st November. Signs were put up on 8th November and the ‘no mooring’ signs put up by the residents of Mead Lane removed.

Head teacher condemns CRT’s “inhumane” enforcement policy in meeting with MP

Monday, July 4th, 2016

A primary school head condemned CRT’s enforcement policy against boats without home moorings as “inhumane” because of its detrimental effect on boat children, in a meeting between CRT chief Richard Parry and local MP Michelle Donelan.

Battlelines drawn

Friday, April 22nd, 2016

Nick Brown of NBTA met with CRT yesterday. This is his summary of that meeting.

“Meeting with CRT in MK: Head of Legal (Jackie Lewis), another of the Legal Team (Tom Deards), Head of Boating (Mike Grimes) and Matthew Symonds.

We are still mulling over the conclusions but suffice to say the meeting didn’t go well they conceded very little (if anything).

Meeting for boaters on ‘restricted’ licences, 12th April, Avoncliff

Wednesday, April 6th, 2016

There will be a meeting on Tuesday 12th April, 7pm to 9pm, at the Cross Guns, Avoncliff BA15 2HB for all boaters without home moorings who have been put onto 3 or 6 month ‘restricted’ licences by CRT and for those who have been threatened with restriction or non-renewal of their licence.

Kennet and Avon Boating Community Website