When NBTA London sent in a complaint about ‘no mooring’ sites on the River Lee, to our surprise CRT wrote back to say…

“The area of policy falls outside of the Trust’s complaints so this will not be considered as a formal complaint.”

This is a new low for CRT. It means if you want to complain about CRT’s policies, of which there are many to complain about, you can’t. This leaves us with the only official channel to take being through the courts. So along with encouraging direct action by defying the new no mooring rules, that is exactly what we are going to do.

For now, we are more than happy to use other channels in having our voices heard. Since we cannot complain online, why not join us on march on offices.

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

CRT have unveiled plans to start charging for 1.1km of towpath moorings in various locations throughout London. They are doing this without showing any consideration for boaters who live and work in the area, or evidence that they are necessary.

In fact, CRT’s own figures show that their two ‘test sites’ for these new chargeable moorings have had less than 25% occupancy – most of the year they were wasted moorings. Is this really a success? Do we really need more unused chargeable moorings? 

Is this just the beginning? CRT are crossing a dangerous line that could see London Waterways and other waterways become something for those who can afford it – disregarding their responsibility to preserve the waterways for all communities. CRT are also planning to rub salt in the wound by enforcing unnecessary double mooring restrictions – regardless of how wide the navigation is. There are many places in London where a narrowboat can easily double moor onto a wide beam, but CRT aim to end this practice. 

Rather than concentrating on their mandate to maintain the navigation with things like dredging, they continue to persecute boat dwellers without home mooring. NBTA London demand that CRT do not reduce casual mooring space in London. Turning it into prohibitively expensive, pre-bookable moorings that will often be left unused will only make other areas more busy, and drive people who live and work in these areas out of their livelihoods, and out of their homes.

NBTA London also demand that CRT concentrate on their primary objective of maintaining the navigation, rather than persecuting boaters who moor on some of the widest waterways in the country. If we are not restricting the navigation we should be allowed to double moor.

NBTA and London Boaters have fought and prevented unfair and destructive attempts like these before, and we will do so again. CRT must stop destroying boating communities by favouring one kind of boater over another. They are entrusted with looking after the country’s waterways for everyone. London’s waterways should not be financially exclusive.

Please stop CRT making London’s Waterway financially exclusive by completing their survey below – by telling them that we disagree we can preserve London’s Waterways for everyone, not just those who can afford it.

https://canalrivertrust.welcomesyourfeedback.net/s/London

Also take action to let CRT know our boats are our homes and we aren’t going away from the waterways

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

Come to march on Canal and River Trust’s Little Venice office on Saturday 26th March.

Canal and River Trust (CRT) are taking away hundreds of mooring spaces on the River Lea in Hackney and Broxbourne. They are completely ignoring the views of boaters. Early in 2021, CRT announced that they would be restricting moorings along 10km of the river Lea, claiming that mooring in these ‘Water Safety Zones’ was unsafe.

The NBTA, together with the London boating community, fought against these so-called water safety zones. First, we organised the Broxbourne flotilla in April. Then, we organised Hackney Flotilla in June, which was attended by over a thousand people. Realising what they were up against, CRT promised to collect and listen to the views of boaters and engaged us in consultation.

The results of the consultation were clear: boaters are concerned about safety, but the ‘safety zones’ wouldn’t make the river safer. The ‘River Lea Forum’ was established with representatives from all interested river user groups to discuss what would make the waterways safer. We were hopeful that we would sort this out through discussion.

But, CRT imposed the water safety zones anyway. They have put up no mooring signs in all the ‘red zones’ on the original ‘safety zones’ maps. They have completely ignored our voices and they have completely ignored the newly established River Lea forum. Now it is time to show them what resistance means.

Hundreds of boaters have defied CRT’s unfair and unjustified restrictions so far. We encourage all boaters to moor where they see new ‘no mooring’ signs, as long as it is safe to do so. We encourage all boaters to put up a ‘moored here in protest’ poster in their window. Our community needs all of us to resist. We must show CRT that they cannot treat us like this. Together we are stronger.

Come to march on CRT Little Venice office on Saturday 26th March. Meet at 1pm Park Square in Regents Park NW1 4LH, nearby tube stations are Great Portland Street and Regent’s Park.

Please put the protest poster in your window.

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