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.

BW backs down on Lee and Stort mooring restrictions

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

Following strong opposition from boaters in London, BW has backed down over its proposals for draconian and unlawful mooring restrictions for boats without moorings on the Lee, Stort and Hertford Union navigations. However, BW still proposes to set up a local mooring strategy along the lines of the K and A mooring strategy. BW has also proposed to issue ‘roving mooring permits’ which ‘allow’ the boater to do what they are already entitled to do under Section 17 (3) c ii of the 1995 British Waterways Act, at a proposed cost equivalent to an average permanent mooring fee.

Policy and Law Reform Objectives for Boat Dwellers Proposed

Monday, August 22nd, 2011

A boaters’ group has proposed that the transfer of British Waterways to charity status would be an ideal opportunity to put in place statutory protection for the homes of all boat dwellers in the UK. Currently there is no legal recognition of the homes of boat dwellers (a boat is a chattel in law) and no statutory protection from eviction.

IWA reveals anti-liveaboard prejudice in Local Mooring Strategy

Tuesday, August 16th, 2011

The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) representative on the Mooring Strategy Steering Group has made it clear that his understanding of the local mooring strategy is to “reduce the numbers of those living on the canal” so that within 5 years “they would be able to plan for a different life-style”. In an email to BW’s Sally Ash, the IWA rep Tim Wheeldon also stated that “there will be no question of anyone being forced to give up home, school or job in the short term“.

Write to your MP before BW Charity Bill goes to Commons Committee in September

Tuesday, August 9th, 2011

The Public Bodies Bill, which will transfer BW to charity status, will be considered by the Public Bill Committee in the House of Commons between 8 September and 13 October. The Committee will consider the Bill in detail and probably make more amendments. The Committee Chair is David Amess, the Conservative MP for Southend West.

Please write to your own MP as a matter of urgency asking him/ her to make sure that the British Waterways amendment (99A) is deleted from the Bill.

Boaters featured in ITV news and Private Eye

Friday, August 5th, 2011

BW’s unlawful actions towards liveaboard boaters were held up to the media spotlight again by ITV on 24 June in The West Country Tonight. You can watch this on

http://www.itv.com/westcountry-east/fear-for-boat-dwellers43456/

On 22 July, BW got the Private Eye treatment in an article alerting readers to the dangers of transferring existing enforcement powers such as forcible entry, search and seizure to an unaccountable private body such as the New Waterways Charity.

You can read the Private Eye article here Waterways Power Surge

Tags: bona fide navigation, BW charity status, continuous cruising, liveaboards
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MP asks Parliamentary Question on behalf of liveaboard boaters

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

Duncan Hames, the Liberal Democrat MP for Chippenham, whose constituency includes the Kennet and Avon canal between Dundas and Hilperton, was contacted recently by a number of boaters concerned that the transfer of BW to charity status would put them at increased risk of homelessness. As a result, Mr Hames asked this question in the House of Commons on their behalf:

BW Director denies wishing to enforce like Mussolini

Friday, July 22nd, 2011

User groups met BW’s Legal Director Nigel Johnson on 23 June to discuss changes to the Mooring Guidance for Continuous Cruisers following the BW v Paul Davies judgement. NABO, RBOA and the National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA) were present, as were user groups like the IWA and British Marine Federation that favour BW’s attitude to continuous cruisers. BW Head of Enforcement Denise Yelland and Head of Boating Sally Ash were also present.

Over 100 responses to questionnaire but 145 14-day mooring spaces may go

Thursday, July 21st, 2011

The boaters’ questionnaire which we published and delivered to boats between Bath and the Long Pound at the end of May is now being collated and analysed. A boater who works in IT has volunteered to enter the data into a spreadsheet designed by another boater. Response forms were completed by over 100 people altogether.

Mooring strategy meeting postponed twice

Thursday, July 21st, 2011

The local mooring strategy process appears to be grinding to a halt. The ninth meeting of the steering group, which was to be held in Devizes on June 17th, was postponed because BW decided it would be better to hold it after June 23rd when national user groups were due to meet with BW to “discuss” changes to the Mooring Guidance for Continuous Cruisers following the BW v Davies judgement. If nothing else, this proves that the mooring strategy is designed specifically to target boats without moorings.

Honey Street boaters meeting minutes

Sunday, July 10th, 2011

Here are the minutes of the boaters’ meeting on 14June 2011, held at The Barge Inn, Honey Street, and an outline of some information posters at the end, which can be copied and enlarged.

Kennet and Avon Boating Community Website