Ali was moored at Daubeney Fields. She works for a food and farming charity which advocates for land redistribution and community grow projects. Ali has been on the water for three years. “I’ve been involved in the protest movement against the new CRT restrictions for about a year and a half now, since the safety zones campaign started. I consciously seek out places where the new no mooring locations are. I speak to my neighbours about the restrictions, so that everyone in the community knows about them. And I think it’s important to show up physically against CRT’s attempts to gentrify the waterways even more. These are perfectly great moorings and the idea that they could become paid for or private moorings is really shocking. It’s been a hard year for everyone and the fact that space and land access is going to be restricted is really disgusting.”

“We must take a stand to protect our way of life or they will do everything they can to get rid of it.”

Marcus

Dee, Michelle and their son Io were moored offside at Daubeney fields. They have been on the water for just over a year. Mychelle is a baker. Dee is a gardener and has been clearing up the bankside where they are moored to make a lovely space for their son and other children to play.  “It is a good spot to moor and it doesn’t cause any obstruction to anybody; there’s no reason for it not to be moored on. It’s a good spot to be.  “The fact that it is a no mooring spot hasn’t really changed our minds about mooring here to be honest. If there was a real reason, like if it felt dangerous, then we wouldn’t moor here, obviously. But there’s no reason. Usually, families moor along here and our son will hopefully start school locally too.”

Lud “I work in a cleaning and maintenance job on a dock restoration site by the river. I’ve been on the water since 2016 and I fell in love with boating life and its people. I’m resisting the ‘no mooring zones’ because I think they are not fair to boaters who live on their boats and there’s nothing to justify them.”

Ben and Pru were moored at Matchmaker’s Wharf. They have been on the water for about three years. “We got a notice from the enforcement guy saying that we are wrongfully moored – there are no signs to tell us that we shouldn’t moor here and we haven’t received an email updating us about where we can and can’t moor. “CRT tried to put a load of water safety zones in and then realised that they hadn’t consulted anyone apart from the rowing groups.  In a few years it will be impossible to moor in London and it will become just a rich city for rich people. It’s a subtle cultural genocide. They want to take us away.”

Jade & Ted “There is no logic to what CRT are trying to implement. What they say it is about and what it is actually about are two different things. Safety is important, but this is nothing to do with safety”

Matthew was moored on the bend just above the Princess of Wales. He is a musician and he fits out sailaways to sell on. “I love the river and I love the people on it. I think (the safety zones) are absolutely ridiculous really. Boaters made the canal and rivers habitable again, haven’t we? We have a lot to do with the regeneration of the canals in London. The rowers don’t own the river . This is our life, for them it’s just a hobby.  It’s really backward thinking and there’s a definite disconnect between us and CRT.”

Jay was moored near a bridge on the Filter Beds. Jay works in theatre, but has just quit his job and is going to cruise to Bristol at some point soon. “I didn’t realise that I was on a no mooring section. I’ve not heard anything, and I’ve been here a week. I think its just CRT saying that boaters are creating a problem, but we’re not. It’s kind of bullshit isn’t it? I don’t think mooring here makes any difference compared to mooring there, or mooring there (pointing to mooring spaces nearby).”

“In a few years it will be impossible to moor in London and it will become just a rich city for rich people. It’s a subtle cultural genocide. They want to take us away.”

Ben & Pru

Amy was moored near a bridge on the filter beds. “I don’t think (the safety zones) are needed. I think it is an unnecessary crackdown on numbers of boats in some of the widest parts of the river. The restrictions are unnecessary and I plan to ignore them for as long as possible.”

Marcus was moored by the electricity bridge on the offside. He is home schooler and plumber and has lived on the water for 10 years. “Over the years Canal and River Trust has been taking places where it has been possible to moor away. We must take a stand to protect our way of life or they will do everything they can to get rid of it.”

MARCH ON CRT OFFICES! on Saturday 26th March at 1pm Park Square in Regents Park NW1 4LH, nearby tube stations are Great Portland Street and Regent’s Park.

More info here: March on CRT offices

Facebook event here: https://bit.ly/boatshomes26