Monthly Archives: December 2015

News

Useful emails

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Useful emails

NBTA London

nbtalondon@gmail.com

Caseworker NBTA London group

nbta.london.caseworker@gmail.com

 01615431945

Monday to Saturday 8:30am to 9:30pm and on Sundays 8:30am to 5pm

Campaign against the surcharge email address: stopboatlicencediscrimination@gmail.com

National NBTA

secretariat@bargee-traveller.org.uk

0118 321 4128

CRT

The chief executive of the Canal & River Trust

richard.parry@canalrivertrust.org.uk

CRT Welfare Officers

sean.williams@canalrivertrust.org.uk

michelle.simmonds@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Acting Head of Customer Services

Matthew.Symonds@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Head of Boating (acting)

dan.noakes@canalrivertrust.org.uk

CRT’s Relationship, Policy and Strategy Manager

Matthew.Symonds@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Subject Access Requests/ sighting data 

information.request@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Complaints

customer.feedback@canalrivertrust.org.uk

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/contact-us/ways-to-contact-us

customer.services@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Customer Service Co-Ordinator

Sarina.young@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Enforcement (what CRT now calls Boat Licence Customer Support)

Head of Enforcement

matthew.aymes@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Enforcement Operations Manager

paul.griffin@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Non-london enforcement officers:

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/buy-your-boat-licence/boat-licence-customer-support-team/contact-your-local-officer

Licence.Support@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Licence Support Advisor (Boating Co-ordinator)

Aileen.O’Connor@canalrivertrust.org.uk.

Rachel.Hayward@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Kelly.Shields@canalrivertrust.org.uk

UmaKalshum.Rab@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Deborah.Figueiredo@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Dan.Noakes@canalrivertrust.org.uk

joyce.atkins@canalrivertrust.org.uk

London

Enquiries.londonsoutheast@canalrivertrust.org.uk

London@canalrivertrust.org.uk

enquiries.london@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Boating and Customer Service Manager for London and South East

Sarah Lee

Head of London & South East Operations at Canal & River Trust

charlotte.wood@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Boating Manager for the London & South-East Region

Enforcement now called Licence Support

Enforcement officers change from time to time, check here for changes: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/boating/licence-your-boat/boat-licence-customer-support-team/contact-your-local-officer#London

Email enforcement officers

licencesupport.lse@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Enforcement Supervisor (London Region)

Simon.Cadek@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Supervisor London & South East region – West London & Grand Union and South Oxford canals

phillip.brogan@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Enforcement Officer (Upper Lee & Stort from Fields Weir)

nicholas.wattam@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Enforcement Officer ( Lee Navigation (Fieldes Weir to Pickets lock )

Vacant

Enforcement officer (Limehouse Cut, Limehouse Basin, Lee Navigation(Three Mills to East Wick) 

Andy.Philips@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Enforcement officer Lee Navigation (Homerton Wharf to Springfield Park)

Anthony Wilson

Enforcement Officer  (Paddington arm)

laura.hudson@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Enforcement Officer (Picketts Lock to Marfield Park)

Cheryl.Radley@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Enforcement Officer (Regents and Hertford Union (aka Ducketts)

Mustafa Rahman

Enforcement Officer (Grand Union Canal (Hunton Bridge to Uxbridge)

Rachel.Sharp@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Enforcement Officer (Grand Union Canal (Fenny Stratford to Hunton Bridge, Aylesbury Arm, Wendover Arm)

Anthony.Jenkins@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Boating Coordinator (Brentford)

Kelly.Shields@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Boating Coordinator (Enfield)

Viktorija.collins@canalrivertrust.org.uk

Conor Duffy – Data Collector (Central & West London)

John Camfield – Data Collector (East London)

Past Events

Facilities meeting

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On Wednesday 9 December NBTA London chaired a conversation in public with CRT and London based boaters. Thank you to those of the 40 people that came and contributed. It was a productive forum with some direct questions asked by us and some straight answers given by CRT.
Facilities meeting 2
Now that plans have been announced and public conversation has begun in such a forum with the NBTA London, you can join the Facilities Working Group found at http://nbta.boaterpedia.co.uk/
The deep scepticism towards CRT among many boaters who live aboard without a home mooring is a result of the past sabotaging, blocking and discriminating action from Canal & River Trust and British Waterways before them.
Whilst this scepticism is founded, we also need an openness to possibility – the possibility of negotiation, discussion, focused demands, clear questions and relentless seeking of transparency from CRT.
At the public facilities meeting CRT’s Customer Operations Manager Sam Thomas and   Boaters’ Liaison Officer, Sorwar Ahmed  demonstrated a willingness on the part of CRT to be in ongoing direct communication with boaters and to listen to and work with us in getting what we want. I recorded the entire meeting. This is one of the things that Sorwar said:
“…the Trust is not trying to get continuous cruisers off the waterway in any shape or form. We are fully behind you as a new group of boaters – the growing number of continuous cruisers –  you might look at it as the future of the waterway.”
The Trust needs to work harder at gaining trust.
There was still vagueness in some answers, and much more discussion is warranted particularly around navigation and mooring facilities. With mediation and continued pressure from NBTA, we can strive for transparency, for boaters to be heard, for CRT to follow things through and work together with CRT and the wider boating community.
Facilities meeting 2
CRT was asked prior to the meeting – what was going to be different this time that CRT are opening up discussions of ideas that had previously been mooted at Better Relationship Groups and other meetings. Sam Thomas said at the meeting that the difference is that their “priorities have now changed”. What’s the real different is that CRT are now pressurised by NBTA.
After years of taking our facilities, taking our mooring spaces and an enforcement policy which puts some boaters under threat of eviction, we need action from CRT, not words alone.  We will keep the pressure on the Trust to ensure they keep their promises.
The minutes from this meeting will be available soon.
facilities 4
Photos taking by Dave Roberts
News

Boater Eviction Stopped

1 Comment

Victory! We have won in getting CRT to re-licence Jeff!

The campaign for Jeff has only been going for 6 days and we’ve won! I believe that CRT was worried about their draconian actions getting into the wider press.

This was due to the pressure we put on CRT and it’s thanks to all those that signed the petition and the ground work that the NBTA have put in.

However, the licence which Jeff has accepted is a 6 month licence rather than a full 12 months licence. CRT gave him a 6 month licence because they are still saying that he did something wrong but ‘has made some effort to improve’. But improved what?? He did nothing wrong!

Although Jeff has accepted the 6 month licence this is not to say that we agree with CRT that he did something wrong. And we must be clear that NOT travelling in a straight line is NOT a reason to punish boat dwellers.

We need to keep on campaigning and supporting boaters so that CRT doesn’t get away with evicting boat dwellers from the waterways.

From May to October this year, CRT has issued 826 reduced licences and there are many more boats that could be getting a reduced licence in the upcoming months. Of these, many will be refused a licence and we will need to be there to support them.

CRT would not have given Jeff a licence if it was not for the National Bargee Travellers Association (NBTA). And it shows how important the NBTA is in fighting for our homes. The NBTA campaigns in the defence of boat dwellers, and if you haven’t already, please join the NBTA by following this link:

http://www.bargee-traveller.org.uk/membership/

https://nbtalondon.wordpress.com/

For more info about Jeff’s case:

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/don-t-evict-jeff