We have been informed that CRT enforcement officer Steve England was sacked in early September. We have no further details except that it was “something to do with a narrowboat called Shiraz”.
Mr England, who was hated and feared by the majority of boaters who encountered him, spearheaded what has been described as a ‘reign of terror’ on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. Boaters without home moorings who complied with both the law and the Guidance for Boaters Without Home Moorings were served with Section 8 notices unless they either risked their lives and boats travelling on the tidal River Severn or Bristol Channel, or gave in to pressure to take moorings that are in short supply, not officially residential and far more expensive than most other parts of the waterways.
This reign of terror even included the harassment of boaters with home moorings, who were threatened with seizure of their homes and told to return to their moorings because they had travelled “too far” away from them.
Over recent years Mr England had appeared to achieve vastly increased muscle mass over a short time, and had admitted to taking muscle-building supplements. Some muscle enhancement supplements can cause mood changes, especially increased aggression. CRT appears to have a high staff turnover in its enforcement team.
See also http://kanda.boatingcommunity.org.uk/new-enforcement-supervisor-for-ka/
Tags: enforcement, enforcement team, Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, Steve England