Boaters’ Update February 2008

Nominated for World Heritage Status
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct has been nominated for World Heritage site status by Culture Secretary, James Purnell. If successful, the aqueduct and canal will join the other 27 UK World Heritage Sites including Stonehenge, the Giant’s Causeway, and the old and new towns of Edinburgh.

Speaking about the nomination, James Purnell said: "The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal is truly a masterpiece from the canal age in the UK. It is also a magnificent example of our living heritage, remaining one of the busiest stretches of canal in the UK, with some 15,000 boat crossings every year."

UNESCO, who is responsible for the scheme, will now examine the proposal and make a final decision next year. The outcome will be known in Summer 2009.

Find out more about the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

Boat Licence Fee Consultation
BW has published the results of its Boat Licence Fee Consultation in England and Wales. As a result of responses from a range of boaters and boating organisations, together with acknowledgement of a downturn in the wider economy, BW will introduce lower than anticipated licence fee increases, and from April 2008 private boat licence fees will increase by 8.3% (rather than the proposed 12.4% increase).

The 10% prompt payment discount which benefits many fully paid-up boaters will also be retained, whilst further measures to crack down on licence evasion, including a new penalty for late payment, will be introduced.

The consultation ran for three months up to 7 January 2008 and attracted over 100 written responses including 21 responses from boating organisations. In addition to the written submissions, over 200 people took part in a number of discussions held around the country with BW’s chief executive and marketing & customer service director.

Find out more about the Boat Licence Fee Consultation

Licence evasion update
Last year BW issued over 4,300 formal notices to unlicensed boaters leading to 383 Section 8 proceedings and the recovery of almost £¾ million of overdue licence fee income.

The BW South East enforcement team seized seven unlicensed boats in just a matter of weeks, kicking off in early January when two unlicensed boats were craned out of the water from Nell Bridge on the Oxford Canal and at Daventry on the Grand Union Canal. Plans are also underway to serve papers under the British Waterways Act 1983 to remove the remaining five unlicensed boats from the Grand Union Canal.

BW Watford HQ moves
British Waterways Head Office has now moved to 64 Clarendon Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD17 4DA. All phone and fax numbers have remained the same.

Remember BW’s Craft Licensing department has moved to Leeds and changed its name to the Boat Licensing Team.

All Boat Licensing documentation should be sent to:
The Boat Licensing Team
Fearns Wharf
Neptune Street
Leeds
LS9 8PB

All Boat Licensing phone and email enquiries should continue to be directed to the Customer Services Centre in Watford
T: 01923 201120
E: enquiries.hq@britishwaterways.co.uk

New mooring prices for 2008
BW completed its annual review of long-term mooring fees. The prices of managed moorings will increase by an average of 7.4 per cent, whilst end of garden moorings will increase by an average of 6.7 per cent. These prices take effect on mooring renewal on or after 1 April 2008. BW’s mooring price decisions are based on a range of factors, including supply and demand, occupancy levels, location, mooring type and the level of services and facilities provided compared with other moorings provided by the private sector. It is required by government to charge a market price for products and services provided including moorings. There is also a legal requirement that prices do not represent unfair competition for other moorings operators.

Find out the rates for all BW’s mooring sites

BW mooring vacancies update
Since BW launched its mooring vacancies trial at the end of October 2007 it has offered 73 mooring vacancies attracting 971 tenders from 1,545 registered users. Whilst some of the moorings tendered have been allocated above their ‘guide’ price, others have gone for less than expected. There are also indications from the early data that some existing BW mooring customers (whose prices were set using the accepted pre-trial method) could be paying too much for their moorings. BW’s head of boating development, Sally Ash, comments: "It’s still early days, but we’ve already had some interesting results which could completely throw out conventional thinking about moorings demand. One particular site that previously had a waiting list of almost 40 people didn’t attract a single tender, but we’ve had others, including all the sites where there were no people on waiting lists, that have all attracted tenders."

For more information visit the mooring tenders site.

Inland Marina Investment Guide
BW’s new marinas unit reported a successful second year in helping the private sector bring forward much needed marina berths on it’s canals and rivers. Since the launch of the Inland Marina Investment Guide, 2,500 marina berths will have been opened by landowners, investors or developers.

Where additional moorings have been created, the process has started to reduce BW’s directly managed online moorings. BW’s policy, through natural wastage, remains to reduce one online berth for every ten new marinas berths created.

BW’s marina development website

Cotswold Canals Partnership
BW announced its decision to withdraw from the Cotswold Canals Partnership from April 2008. The move follows a review it’s funding commitments for the next financial year and the diversion of significant funds to progress the urgent first phase of a repair programme for the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal in Wales, which is expected to cost in the region of £15 million over four years.

Announcing the news, Robin Evans, BW’s chief executive said: "We have thought long and hard over this decision and know it will disappoint our partners in the project. Ultimately, however, we have a finite pot of money and the needs of our existing waterways must take priority."

Read more about the Cotswold Canals announcement

Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal update
BW is committing to a major programme of repairs to re-open the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal in time for the 2009 cruising season, but warns that this is just the start of a lengthy process to secure the future of this important historic and economic artery. The whole engineering programme could last up to four years and cost in the region of £15million with major spend required in 2008/09.

Commenting on the announcement the Minister for Heritage for the Welsh Assembly Government, Rhodri Glyn Thomas said: "I applaud the way that British Waterways has handled this issue. The massive investment they are putting in to get the canal up and running would be impressive at any time, but more so now with the funding pressures they are facing. This is a courageous decision which will be welcomed by local people and I would call on all bodies and individuals who care about the canal to pull behind them."

Latest news about the Mon & Brec

Waterscape.com stoppage alerts
Waterscape.com re-launched its popular stoppage alerts service after it was taken offline to make a series of customer comment-led improvements.

The alerts are a simple way to find out information about restrictions on Britain's canals and rivers. They include stoppages on waterways operated by BW, the EA and the Broads Authority, as well as other popular cruising routes.

If you would like to receive stoppage alerts please email editor@waterscape.com and say which waterway your would like to receive alerts for. Type ALL in the email heading to receive stoppage alerts for all waterways.

Find out more about stoppage alerts

Brothers win National Customer Service Award
BW’s Customer Service Awards which recognise staff who go the extra mile to deliver exceptional customer service was awarded this week to brothers Anthony and Michael Bush who work on the Lancaster Canal and Ribble Link.
The brothers, were selected by BW chief executive Robin Evans from a shortlist of colleagues who had been recognised in monthly awards for customer service throughout 2007.

Robin commended the outstanding work of numerous colleagues for their efforts during the devastating flooding last summer. However he said that Anthony and Mark’s prompt and outstanding actions on the Lancaster Canal in May had singled them out after they had bailed out a sinking boat and rescued the boat’s owners who had been in danger, saying: "Anthony and Michael dealt with two customers who were clearly in a dire situation in a selfless and caring way yet they felt that they had simply ‘done their job’. This is the sort of care that demonstrates BW’s commitment to customer service."

BWAF elects new chairman
Nigel Stevens is the new chairman of the British Waterways Advisory Forum (BWAF) succeeding Howard Pridding who chaired the group since the forum was founded in 2005. The forum provides a vital platform for strategic discussion helping BW take the waterways forward.

Read the minutes of BWAF's November meeting

Crick Boat Show 2008
And finally a note for your diary - Crick Boat Show 2008. After attracting over 25,000 visitors last year organisers hope that this one will do even better. The event takes place during the second May Bank holiday weekend, 24 to 26 May 2008 at Crick Marina on the Grand Union Canal in Northamptonshire.

Find out more about the Crick Boat Show

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