In January 2020 BaNES Council attempted to close the 14-day moorings at Mead Lane, Saltford following a long campaign by local residents hostile to liveaboard boaters. Allegations were made that the mooring of boats had damaged the river bank. A decision was made to carry out a structural survey, which took place on 3rd September 2020. The survey by Atkins Global engineering consultancy found that there was no damage to the bank from moored boats.
Last week BaNES Council reversed the decision that it made in January and has re-opened the 14-day moorings at Mead Lane, Saltford on the River Avon, until a structural survey of the river bank is carried out and further consultation of interested parties has taken place. The U-turn followed a solicitor’s letter sent to the Council on behalf of boaters. This comes shortly after the BaNES Environmental Health department began taking steps in mid-May 2020 to evict liveaboards who had been moored at Mead Lane due to the suspension of boat movements for the Coronavirus lockdown.