The lane where boaters park their vehicles in Wilcot has been ‘landscaped’ to make parking impossible, according to boaters who are moored there. On 24th October, rubble and earth was piled up along the whole length of the lane on both sides, making a steep bank as shown in the photographs below. This was done even though there were some boaters’ cars parked in the lane at the time.
Wilcot Parish Council has proposed installing bollards in the lane by the canal to prevent vehicles parking. This is the latest idea by the parish council to stop boaters parking their cars in the lane. It is not clear at present whether the proposal is to prevent parking throughout the lane.
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.