Recent proposed changes to CRT Terms & Conditions (T&C’s) have provoked the ire of both leisure and live-aboard boaters. 

Boaters opposing changes to T&Cs are in agreement in challenging the lack of consultation and legal basis for changes, which seem to clearly infringe on boaters’ rights outlined in the 1995 Waterways Act.  These latest T&Cs define 2 separate types of licence; one for leisure users, and another for ‘Continuous Cruising’ (CC-ers). The accompanying granularly detailed restrictions seem like overkill at best, and at worst appear to be targeting and further marginalising those CC-ers who are less affluent (ie. towing restrictions).  In yet another instance of duplicity, CRT T&Cs say it “may provide your relevant personal details to anyone who we believe has a legitimate interest to have the details”, whilst also claiming it can’t engage with boaters directly via email (to consult on issues) because of GDPR. 

NBTA’s solicitors have sent a second legal pre-action protocol letter to CRT over our belief that at least parts of CRT’s T&Cs are unlawful. CRT then made minor changes. These changes included removal of:

‘10.10: The Boat must not display an association with, or advertise, any company, business or service without Our (CRT’s) express consent in writing.’

However there are still a lot more clauses like this in their new T& C’s.