Change at Crt Rebranding Responses True Cost of Licence Changes 2
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The Magazine of the National Association of Boat Owners Issue 4 July 2018 ALL CHANGE AT CRT REBRANDING RESPONSES TRUE COST OF LICENCE CHANGES 2 The NABO Council Regional Representatives Chair NW Waterways Stella Ridgway Richard Carpenter (details left) The magazine of the National Association of Boat Owners 07904 091931, [email protected] North East, Yorkshire and Humber, Shared Issue 4 July 2018 Co-Vice Chair, NAG (Licensing and Mooring), Ownership Rep. Communications Officer, Moorings Howard Anguish Contents Mark Tizard 01482 669876 0203 4639806, [email protected] [email protected], [email protected] 4 Editorial Co-Vice Chair London Waterways and NAG (Licensing & Mooring) 5 In the Chair Paul Howland David Williams 6 Fly on the wall 07443 635587, [email protected] 07813 496208 , [email protected] 7 Membership Matters: NABO and Treasurer South East GDRP, Middle Level Bill. Helen Hutt Geoff Wood 9 Around the Regions 07968 491118 , [email protected] 10 News: All change at CRT, New Regional 07831 682092, [email protected] Advisory Board Chairs Southern Waterways Legal Affairs and BSS Rep. 12 More problems with cyclists, Mike Rodd Geoffrey Rogerson Tamworth boater's weekend 07831 860199, [email protected] 07768 736593 13 Talking Points: The true costs of CRT NABO News Editor Midlands Waterways licensing changes Peter Fellows Phil Goulding (details left) 14 Letter on re-branding from Richard Parry and the rationale behind it 19 High Street, Bonsall, Derbyshire, DE4 2AS East Midlands Waterways 01629 825267, [email protected] 17 If only the Trust would listen Joan Jamieson Webmaster, NAG (Operations) and BSS Rep. 18 There is another way David S. Fletcher 0115 981 2047, [email protected] 20 Is peer-to-peer renting still a problem?, West Midlands 07719 276659, [email protected] Horse power in Sleaford Alison Tuck Media Officer, NAG (Licensing and Mooring), 22 Boating: Upper Peak Forest Canal Regional Reps. Coordinator, Boater Liaison Rep. and [email protected] 24 Techie's Corner: From buckets to boats Floating Traders Anglian Waterways 26 Rewind: Issue 4, July 2003 Alison Tuck Vacant 27 Letters to the Editor, I name this boat Cover photo 07450 108659, [email protected] North Wales & Borders Next NABO News copy date This month’s cover photo is by the Editor, taken Continuous Cruising Rep. David Fletcher (details left) Phil Goulding Articles, letters, cartoons and photos are most on the River Weaver . Win a year’s free member- Welsh Waterways ship by having your photo selected for the front 01271 865340, [email protected] wel come. Images in JPEG format please. Mike Rodd (details left) cover of NABO News. Please email photos as Minutes Secretary Please email or post your contributions by JPEG attachments, ideally portrait format with a Vacant River Severn September 8th 2018. Our email address is file size of 2MB or larger. Vacant [email protected] General Sec, Promotion and Recruitment River Thames Richard Carpenter Graham Paterson Mill House End Farm, Leyland, Lancashire 0118 986 3959, [email protected] PR26 9HB, NABO News is published by the National Association of Boat Owners 07989 441674 or 01772 600886 Additional Contacts [email protected] PO Box 104, Leyland PR25 9AN Editor: Peter Fellows Production: Chris Pink Assistant for the Disabled NABO Online Ken Hylins Whilst every care is taken to ensure that the contents of this newsletter are factually correct, we accept no liability for any direct 07852 911539, [email protected] or consequential loss arising from any action taken by anyone as a result of reading anything contained in this publication. The facebook.com/master.nabo views expressed are not necessarily those of the Association. The products and services advertised in this publication are not Mark Tizard Administration necessarily endorsed by the Association. Vacant Twitter @NABO_Official CRT Emergency No: 0800 4799947 EA Emergency No: 0800 807060 David Fletcher Contact CRT waterway managers at canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/our-regions NABO News Issue 4 July 2018 4 5 The Editor’s Column In the Chair he rebranding of CRT contin- for the (now) six regions and I have RT was in its infancy when out why it didn’t get added to the ues to provoke reactions, with summarised their backgrounds and we moved onto our boat. programme of works. many questioning why signs waterway experience. I have also in- You may remember Richard It seems that we are in the pro- Tthat are only read by boaters cluded the other staff changes that CParry held road-shows and ject management world of budgets were changed within days of the have recently been implemented, as regular meetings with boating and work programmes that cannot relaunch—most boaters know what well as the appointment of four of organisations, and seemed to genu- be altered, which means that we, as CRT is. Why not focus the market- the six chairs to the new Regional inely want to listen to boater’s views. customers, suffer. It is the lack of ing effort on the claimed 90% of Advisory Boards, again noting their Admittedly, he was taking over an listening and the lack of communi- people who apparently don’t know waterway experience. Mark Tizard organisation that had deliberately cation that concern boaters. Those that CRT is the authority that man- monitors social media daily and not spent its budget, and had a of us who live on the canals do so ages their nearby waterway? (And has reported on yet more problems policy of closing canals rather than also work towards changing the atti- faced by boaters and pedestrians, maintaining them. The challenge tudes of some of these people so that caused by speeding cyclists on tow- was to bring boaters along with the Can you hear us? they see canals as a resource, rather paths. I have also received a letter on new organisation. than a convenient dump for the de- the same subject. It is OK for CRT Stella Ridgway is looking forward to tritus they no longer want). It would to encourage more people to use the Making a difference towpaths, but not if their ‘health and I stood for CRT Council two years meaningful discussions with CRT, rather wellbeing’ is compromised by these ago because I wanted to make a dif- than just being fed information selfish louts who think they own ference. At every meeting since, we, The Three Rs them. the boaters’ reps, have said to the Rebranding, reorganisation and reaction Following the claimed ‘revenue- Trust: “you have a free resource in neutral’ licensing review, Alison boaters with all this knowledge; why because we love the waterways and Editor, Peter Fellows, takes the collective pulse of Tuck has crunched the numbers not use us?” We have had limited the way of life. We have experience boaters after the latest changes by CRT and concluded that, not only will success and never an acknowledge- that we will share, if only the Trust the cost of licences increase for the ment—the rebranding was a case in would listen. There is a failure to vast majority of boaters over the point. properly and genuinely engage with seem that someone in Government next few years, but CRT will gen- When it was announced at the us in meaningful discussions, rather must have given CRT the nod that erate an estimated extra £2M from Council meeting in April (we didn’t than just feeding us information. ‘health and wellbeing’ is where the boat licence fees—hardly mak- get to see the new branding), I said The Trust should be seeking our money lies in future. If this is not the ing the canals ‘free for everyone to that boaters felt disenfranchised, views prior to decisions being made, case, the change in focus is a huge use and enjoy’ as CRT Chair, Allan and the launch then failed to men- but this is lacking. Is it therefore any gamble. Peter Underwood from ‘The Leighton, has written. tion them as one of the Trust’s wonder that boaters feel disenfran- Floater’ believes there is another Howard Anguish and Mike Rodd biggest income streams. So there chised and neglected? way to fund the Trust and I have report on news from their respec- is now a hasty press release, trying We know that CRT is trying to included a recent editorial explain- tive regions and Howard also looks to atone for the fact that boaters ensure the future of the canals as a ing his view. I have also included a back at NABO News from 15 years weren’t mentioned. resource for all. I think most boat- letter to boaters from Richard Parry ago. Techies’ Corner has an article ers get that—but ignoring us doesn’t on the rebranding, together with a by Keith Thompson on how he is de- CRT: Do they listen? fill us with confidence. However, as response from Stella Ridgway and a veloping his love of boats into a new Boaters’ reps to Council have quar- Richard Parry says, ‘boaters are front selection of comments from boaters career, following his restoration of a terly meetings and NABO had its and centre of all decisions’, so—you on social media. There is also a jus- rare Dowty Turbo-craft jet-boat. first meeting with the new Head of never know—they might start to tification for the new logo from its NABO Council is taking a break Customer Services in June—but will take our views seriously. designer. Elsewhere, David Fletcher for the summer while its mem- they actually listen to us? Like the But we also have a responsibility: explains what we need members to bers get afloat and it will meet Council and the User Forums, they if we see that something is broken do in the light of the new General again in September at Tamworth appear to pay lip-service to the feed- or services need attention, report it.