Seemingly out of the blue, late last December, the Canal and River Trust (CRT) announced a commission to review licensing. Attached to the press release was a ‘Terms of Reference” to the commission that clearly outlines their intentions to remove itinerant boat dwellers from inland waterways. It explicitly states that CRT views the community of boat dwellers without home moorings as a problem, advocating for changes to the law to address this ‘problem’. The document claims that the community has “created challenges for the Trust both from an operational, financial, and reputational perspective” and that in dealing with these so-called ‘challenges,’ CRT is seeking changes to the law, pointing to its issues with the Human Rights Act 1998, the Equality Act 2010, and the British Waterways Act 1995 —the very legislations that enshrine our community’s legal protection to exist.
In this document, CRT announced it has appointed an ‘independently led’ commission to review a future legislative framework for how boats on its waterways are licensed. Currently, the rights of itinerant boaters to live on the waterways are underpinned by Section 17(3)(c)(ii) of the 1995 British Waterways Act, which provides that a vessel may be licensed without a permanent mooring as long as it is “used bona fide for navigation throughout the period for which the consent is valid without remaining continuously in any one place for more than 14 days or such longer period as is reasonable in the circumstances.”
It is not just what the document does say that’s alarming, it’s what it doesn’t say too. There is no mention of the many positive aspects of itinerant boating: we ensure the network remains ‘operational’ with itinerant boaters flagging and fixing issues with locks, towpaths, facilities, and the cut itself; we keep each other and non-boaters safe in places that were once seen as no-go areas; and we act as unpaid but willing tour guides/tourist attractions/security guards for the many visitors to the UK’s canal network each year. Numerous things can be said about itinerant boaters’ positive impact, but the document is truly desolate on that front. The document also does not mention any other class of boater (apart from liveaboard) or waterways user……it is us they’re after!
Despite the NBTA sending the commission a response laying out facts which show the invalidity of the Terms of Reference, Commission has already ratified CRT’s document. This is worrying. It may be a sign that a conclusion has already been reached. The Commission has had multiple meetings and has put out a survey, making it clear what is seen as the problem. The commission is expected to run until at least September 2025, when its recommendations will be considered by CRT’s board of trustees.
In the meantime, the NBTA will keep a close eye on the commission and engage whenever possible, relaying information when useful and raising questions on your behalf. After the commission, CRT may well go to Parliament to try to get a new damaging law. We are currently lobbying MPs and Peers to generate support in Parliament to remove the threat. All MPs and Peers engaged so far are very
supportive. It may also help to put together a portfolio of positive boater action. If you want to add to the ‘Better with Boats’ portfolio, please email us at nbtalondon@gmail.com.
If you want to be involved in lobbying MPs or generally in this campaign, please email nbtalondon@gmail.com
You can read the CRT ‘Terms of Reference’ and NBTA’s response to it: https://bargee-traveller.org.uk/nbta-response-to-crt-commission-terms-of-reference-to-review-law-and-policy-on-boat-licensing/#:~:text=The%20Canal%20%26%20River%20Trust%20%28CRT%29%20announced%20that,National%20Bargee%20Travellers%20Association%20%28NBTA%29%20to%20the%20ToR.
Boaters’ Big Bash
National boater event on Saturday 14 June. Come to the Boaters’ Big Bash; it will have food, stalls, children’s activities, speeches, live music, and acts from the boaters, oh and bunting…
Saturday 14th June starting 12 noon, W2 5TF near Westbourne Park, a little west of Paddington on the Paddington Arm, Grand Union Canal, London
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National Bargee Travellers Association - London Branch 