Posts Tagged ‘DEFRA’

Smoke Control Area regulations can now be applied to boats following Environment Act 2021

Thursday, January 6th, 2022

The Environment Act 2021, which became law on 9th November, will remove the partial exemption for boats from the Clean Air Act 1993. Local authorities will now have the power to apply their Smoke Control Areas to boats moored within the areas, under Section 73 and Schedule 12 of the Act.

CRT has been asked to provide contact information for boat owners to local authorities where they need it to enforce Smoke Control Areas. There is an exemption for smoke which is created to propel the vessel or to generate electricity. There is no exemption for heating. Local authorities can now impose fines of at least £175 for breaches of Smoke Control regulations.

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K&A Boaters’ Action Group, 11th February, Seend

Wednesday, January 30th, 2019

The next meeting of the K&A Boaters’ Action Group will be on Monday 11th February 2019 at 7.30pm at the Barge Inn (in the restaurant), Seend Cleeve, SN12 6QB, between locks 18 and 19. All are welcome.

Come to the meeting if you want to raise matters that you think boaters should be taking action about, or if you need any information about CRT enforcement against boaters without home moorings or if you need advice about CRT enforcement letters, texts or emails.

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Secretive anti-liveaboard group set up by DEFRA – please write to your MP now!

Tuesday, January 15th, 2019

A multi-agency working group on “residential houseboats” was set up by the DEFRA Inland Waterways Policy Land Use section over a year ago in December 2017, “tasked to look at the issue of illegally [sic] moored houseboats”.

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CRT making contingency plans for “second dry winter” as ground water levels only just recover

Tuesday, February 27th, 2018

CRT is making plans for a second dry winter following the driest year on recent record during 2017, according to a Freedom of Information response.

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K&A boaters join national Boats Are Homes march

Sunday, April 23rd, 2017

A group of fourteen boaters from the K&A joined the national Boats Are Homes march on Saturday 8th April 2017. The demonstration was organised in protest against CRT’s unlawful enforcement policy against boaters without home moorings. Boat dwellers from all over the waterways took part. The march was organised by the National Bargee Travellers Association.

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National Boats Are Homes demonstration, 8th April

Saturday, March 4th, 2017

There will be a national Boats Are Homes demonstration in London on Saturday 8th April 2017. Transport will be available from the K&A – contact info@boatingcommunity.org.uk or 07928 078208.

Boats Are Homes demo poster 8-4-17

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Mark Stephens to leave K&A

Friday, October 17th, 2014

Mark Stephens is leaving the K&A at the end of this month to take on a national role within CRT.

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BW transfer order to be examined by five Parliamentary committees

Saturday, March 3rd, 2012

The draft order to transfer BW to charity status will be scrutinised by five Parliamentary committees and in addition has to be agreed by both houses of Parliament. This means that there will be opportunities to lobby Parliament about the risks of homelessness for boat dwellers of the move to the Canal and River Trust (CRT), in particular to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee. In addition, there is still time to object to the registration of the CRT to the Charity Commission, as the application to register the charity has not yet been submitted.

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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:

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Respond to the DEFRA consultation on the New Waterways Charity

Monday, April 4th, 2011

The DEFRA consultation on moving BW and eventually the EA navigations to charity status opened on 30 March. The deadline is 30 June. It is extremely important that liveaboard boaters, whatever their mooring status, respond to this – because there is virtually no acknowledgement of our existence in the entire consultation!!

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