NABO News Copy Date Treasurer London Waterways Helen Hutt David Williams 4 Editorial Articles, Letters, Cartoons and Photos Are Most WelCome

The Magazine of the National Association of Boat Owners Issue 4 July 2019

WIDEBEAM SAGA CRUISES ON SURVEY OF BOAT OWNERS’ VIEWS BOATERS’ LIABILITY FOR TOWPATH MOORING 2

The NABO Council Regional Representatives Chair Anglian Waterways Stella Ridgway Vacant The magazine of the National Association of Boat Owners 07904 091931, [email protected] East Midlands Waterways Issue 4 July 2019 Vice-Chair Joan Jamieson Vacant 0115 981 2047 [email protected] Contents Next NABO News copy date Treasurer London Waterways Helen Hutt David Williams 4 Editorial Articles, letters, cartoons and photos are most welcome. Images in JPEG format please. 07813 496208 [email protected] 5 In the Chair 07831 682092, [email protected] Please email or post your contributions Middle Level 6 Fly on the wall Legal Affairs and BSS Rep. by June 29th 2019. Our email address is Mike Rodd Vacant 7 Membership news: GDPR and email 8 Around the regions: North West [email protected] 07831 860199, [email protected] North East, Yorkshire and Humber, Shared 9 News: New Waterways Ombudsman NABO News Editor Ownership Rep. Cover photo Peter Fellows Howard Anguish 10 NABO at the User Groups: Meeting of NAG Operation This month’s cover photo is a flowerpot fisher- 19 High Street, Bonsall, Derbyshire, DE4 2AS 01482 669876 [email protected], shareowners@ 01629 825267, [email protected] nabo.org.uk 11 BSS Advisory Committee meeting man on the Staffs & Worcs, spotted by the Editor. Webmaster, NAG (Operations) and BSS Rep. North Wales & Borders Waterways 12 EA’s National Navigation Users Forum Win a year’s free membership by having your David S. Fletcher David Fletcher 13 News: Contacting CRT, CRT West photo selected for the front cover of NABO Midlands changes News. Please email photos as JPEG attachments, 07719 276659, [email protected] [email protected] 14 Latest survey of boat owners’ views. ideally portrait format with a file size of 2MB or Media Officer North West Waterways Update on lock restrictions larger. Alison Tuck Peter Vickers 15 More on the Monty 07450 108659, [email protected] 07517 157154 [email protected] 16 A precedent for towpath cycling Communications Officer, Moorings Rep. River Severn Phil Goulding incidents? Amsterdam to ban petrol and Mark Tizard (details left) diesel powered boats, Marple open again 07818 757676, [email protected] River Thames 17 Environment: CRT Plastics Challenge Continuous Cruising Rep. Graham Paterson 20 Safety: Carbon monoxide latest Phil Goulding 0118 986 3959 [email protected] 22 Talking points: Share the space—what 01271 865340, [email protected] River Trent happens if there is conflict? Regional Reps. Coordinator, Promotion and Vacant 24 The widebeam saga cruises on Recruitment South East Waterways 26 Rewind: Issue No 4, 2004 Ken Hylins Geoff Wood 27 Book Review: Narrowboat Life by Jim 07852 911539, [email protected] 07968 491118 [email protected] Batty Minutes Secretary Southern Waterways , Welsh Waterways 28 Letters, I name this boat Vacant Mike Rodd General Sec. (External Relations) [email protected] Mark Tizard West Midlands Waterways 07818 757676, [email protected] Alison Tuck NABO News is published by the [email protected] National Association of Boat Owners

Additional Contacts PO Box 7366, Wolverhampton, WV1 9GQ NABO Online Editor: Peter Fellows Production: Chris Pink Assistant for the Disabled National Association of Boat Owners 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 Mark Tizard 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 Administration views expressed are not necessarily those of the Association. The products and services advertised in this publication are not Twitter @NABO_Official necessarily endorsed by the Association. Vacant David Fletcher CRT Emergency No: 0800 4799947 EA Emergency No: 0800 807060 Contact CRT waterway managers at canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/our-regions NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 4 5 The Editor’s Column In the Chair

think most people would CRT claiming that it aims to increase he Marple Flight reopened issues faced on other canals are welcome CRT’s ‘Plastics the number of recycling points, at the end of May, so we mainly anecdotal, so please report Challenge’, launched in June. members’ experiences, reported for have been treated to a great everything, either by phone, email I Visitors to the waterways are many months now, and in Jim Batty’s T deal more traffic as boaters or on the Trust’s web-form. being asked to pick up one piece of letter in this issue, is that waste dis- cross Bugsworth Basin off their tick- I attended CRT’s Council Boaters litter to prevent the half-million plus posal sites are being closed and there list of places to go. Rep. meeting in Birmingham, where pieces of plastic entering the sea are parts of the system that are now We have noticed the speed and we stressed the need for consist- from UK canals each year. ‘facility deserts’. We know that waste lack of boating etiquette that seems ency of language across waterways It clearly chimes well with the costs CRT enormous amounts of to have crept (or is that marched?) authorities, particularly in places Trust’s wellbeing strategy and get- money and there can be serious in over the last few years. When where a canal joins a river. Currently, ting more people involved with problems with fly-tipping and peo- we moved aboard, the person we the Trust uses the height of water to the waterways as litter-picking ple abusing disposal facilities, but it bought our boat from said: “you con- determine safety; not flow, which boils down to spending priorities. sciously need to slow down for the could cause problems. The EA pro- To prevent the new plastics chal- first three days as it takes that long duces data for most rivers and so the lenge being seen as a bit of PR spin, to lose the motorway in your head”. issue is really just about using the More rubbish there needs to be significant invest- We notice that with the boaters who same language and it meaning the Editor Peter Fellows considers the plastics ment in waterside disposal facilities are obviously on a schedule speeding same, no matter where you cruise. to prevent rubbish getting into the past us. I think they don't even no- problem. waterways in the first place. tice the views over the landscape, My thanks to John and Marion which are particularly stunning The motorway in volunteers. It also resonates with Pearse, who have proofread NABO this year. I think they forget that increasing public concerns over News for the last four years, but have it isn't just the destination; it's the your head single-use plastics. However, one of now hung up their windlasses. If you journey that is as important. We the findings in the report didn’t ring would like to help out twice a year to hear boaters complaining about the Stella Ridgway urges boaters to slow down and true to me: “.. the amount of plastics proofread the text over a weekend, shallowness of the canal, but they enjoy the view. and litter along a stretch of waterway please let me know. are trying to cruise at maximum does not relate to the surrounding There’s been a lot going on since speed. (As this was one of the last We talked about the challenge population, levels of deprivation in the May issue: CRT’s latest boat canals to be built in the North West, that the Trust faces with the in- the area or how much the towpath is owners’ survey reflects the discon- costs were key and it was built to an creased cost of rubbish removal and used.” When boating, it is common tent that many members have been average depth of about a metre, so fly-tipping that seems to happen to pass through miles of countryside reporting for months; Mike Rodd it isn't the deepest of canals). But if near to towns. Lack of recycling is and small towns and villages, see- reports that the Government has de- you go slowly and enjoy the scenery, also a challenge for boaters as most ing hardly any rubbish in the water cided to discontinue plans for CRT to it will be a much better experience recycling centres are not next to a or along the banks. Then, within a take over EA waterways—a decision for everyone. canal and are inaccessible on foot. couple of miles of an urban centre, welcomed by NABO; there’s a new Boaters moan about the Canal Perhaps the answer is barges that it’s everywhere. So the report’s ten Waterways Ombudsman (actually and River Trust not doing enough go around collecting recycling and tips for visitors to reduce litter along an Ombudswoman); more problems maintenance and dredging, but rubbish, or bins only available on the towpaths are welcome. This new with widebeam boats on narrow along here they have done dredging offside and emptied via barges? Let initiative is not really aimed at boat- canals, highlighted by Helen Hutt; surveys and taken boaters' feedback me know your thoughts. ers, who, with rare exceptions, take and Mark Tizard reviews NABO’s into account when deciding where Meanwhile, I hope the sum- care to properly dispose of rubbish legal advice about boaters’ liability to dredge. Unfortunately, the use of mer stays good and we don't get (although I have seen black plastic if a cyclist hits a mooring pin. David bow thrusters, particularly on shal- too much rain. We wanted to paint bags of rubbish thrown onto offside Fletcher has been busy, with articles low canals, means silt banks are our roof as it was reasonably nice land that could only have come from on GDPR, email from NABO, NAG created quite quickly on bends and weather; then it rained as soon as we boats). But it’s in boaters’ interests operations and CO alarms. I’ve also in winding holes, creating further started. Still, we finally got the front to support the initiative, not only included a review of member, Jim dredging needs. So it’s a vicious cir- third done this week and hopefully to make the waterway environment Batty’s book, a first for NABO News. cle, particularly on shallower canals. the rain will keep off long enough to more pleasant and safer for wildlife, Plus a bumper crop of letters in this do the next two thirds. Happy boat- but also to reduce prop fouling and issue. Enjoy the summer. Widebeams on narrow canals ing everyone—remember to keep the need to delve down the weed- The Trust says it is aware of the is- the motorway out of your head and hatch. But here’s the rub: despite sues on the North Oxford, but the enjoy the journey. NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 6 7 NABO Council, June 23rd 2019 Membership News

ore Sunday service is to moor up, fill out a contact form train failures stopped and wait for the national boating the Chair attend- manager to resolve the issue. GDPR—one year in M ing, but member, Sue Councillors have consulted David Fletcher examines your personal data in detail Merrett, had just a short walk along m’learned friends regarding re- the towpath from her overnight sponsibility for accidents caused by mooring. cyclists hitting mooring pins and he GDPR was introduced in May 2018. vider, including up-to-date software, Captcha, London mooring problems re- NABO will publish their advice. NABO has to comply (as do all organi- Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS— surfaced, with 200 more boats since Lycra-louts continue to cause prob- sations that hold ‘personal data’), as used for secure communication), and minimum last year. Around 25% are rented lems on the K&A towpath, with T we hold information about people for requirements for passwords. We monitor false and many newbies don’t know some recording speeds in excess a ‘business or other non-household purpose’. At logins all the time, but we know that these are what’s required. Some of 23mph on the Strava website. the June Council meeting, the team took time out mostly members who mistype their passwords. 10% are unlicensed Sustrans is getting concerned that it to review our current position one year in, to see The Information Commissioner’s Office is and some owners are might have some liability, because of how far we have got and what more needs to be the Government body that deals with this, and removing the names and towpath improvements, and seems done. We must regularly review our processing they have good checklists to guide us. They are index numbers to hin- to be backing what NABO is saying. and, where necessary, update our documenta- generic and apply to mega-corporations as well der identification by Lock passage restrictions remain, tion and our privacy information for individuals. as us, so they need some interpretation. We have CRT spotters. It's no especially in parts of the Midlands. We must also review and update our account- worked through these lists again to identify best wonder that CRT can’t keep up with Councillors thought that this is a ability measures at ‘appropriate’ intervals. practice for small organisations like ourselves. those who flout byelaws. Perhaps if sensible approach to water conser- Personal data means information about a par- This is considerably simplified because we are a few boats were towed away under vation, as it groups boats together, ticular living individual. This might be anyone, not trading and only communicate with mem- Section 8, it would send a message encourages lock-sharing and makes including a customer, client, employee, partner, bers who are providing consent. via the towpath telegraph that they passage on flights easier with boats member, supporter, business contact, public of- Out of all of this, the Council identified a should comply. There is talk of yet heading in both directions. Leaking ficial or member of the public. It doesn’t need workplan for the next year: another London consultation, even lock gates are another matter. to be ‘private’ information—even information Continue with initiatives to complete agree- though the outcomes of the last one The latest Boaters’ Survey shows which is public knowledge, or is about someone’s ment by the membership; have yet to be implemented. support for CRT to be down in professional life, or the colour of your boat can Write to life members and share the data we nearly all categories. CRT’s spin says be ‘personal’ data. Almost anything we do with hold (at annual renewal); this is due to licence fee increases data counts as processing; including collecting, Document the responsibilities of officers and Fly on the wall and last year’s drought and resulting recording, storing, using, analysing, combin- approve these in the Council;

Observes proceedings at Council in June closures, but Councillors were sure ing, disclosing or deleting it. This applies to all Document the data that we hold, including it was because boaters notice things members, even if they have no internet access or the archives; say why we keep these and ad- that are not working, like paddles, email. It would still apply if we kept the details dress actions from this review with a view to NABO calendar 2019 Councillors don’t like CRT refer- and the loss of facilities. To get sat- in a box in the corner. We operate on the basis disposal; Council meetings are ring to the ‘boating season’, telling isfaction levels up, all boaters need is of ‘consent’ by members and we ask members to Write some simple procedures and approve held at boat clubs in the anglers that they can fish from visi- to be able to navigate safely, to moor, confirm their agreement to our Privacy Policy. them in the Council; Midlands area. Members tor moorings ‘out of the boating and to have useable facilities. There We have a policy in place and there have been Carry out a risk assessment and impact as- are welcome to attend; season’. NABO likes ‘busy season’ have been improvements, for exam- no challenges to it and there are no plans to sessment on data loss, and address actions please just let the instead—the boating season is ac- ple, to vegetation management, so make changes at this time. But we remain open from it. Secretary or the Chair tually 12 months. Also, fishingCRT’s PR should focus on these. to suggestions from members. That said, 13% So we have made a good start, but there is con- know in advance (contact taster-days for children take place Finally, an announcement from details inside cover). of members have not responded to requests to solidation work to do, and we have to keep an on visitor moorings ‘for health and the EA: a completely new team will agree to our Privacy Policy. Everybody who has open mind on best practices for small organisa- The dates for Council safety reasons’, but this sends the develop a five-year strategy to com- not agreed is reminded at membership renewal tions. meetings in 2019 are as mercialise the Agency and allow it to follows: September 1st, wrong message to the children. ‘Out time as to their position. Some members contin- What can you do? When you get a member- October 13th, November of the boating season’ also means the generate more income. This will al- ue not to respond. Do they object on reasonable ship renewal or other correspondence from us, 17th (includes AGM). ‘stoppage season’ to CRT engineers, low asset improvements that might grounds? Do they not understand? Do they just please read it. If you are asked to respond, please but maintenance and repairs should make them more attractive to CRT, not read this stuff we send? We just don’t know. do so. If you have an account on the website, take place throughout the year. when grant negotiations with Defra We can address any of the above, but no response keep your password secure. If you have expertise Widebeams on narrow canals take place in (coincidentally?) five is very hard to deal with. or experience of GDPR with other clubs, please (again): the advice from CRT if you years’ time. We implement security measures on our do get in touch. We are happy to learn or share have a problem passing a widebeam Byeee and enjoy the summer. web systems through our internet service pro- best practice. NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 8 9 NABO Membership News News

he Waterways Ombudsman Com Do you read your email? mittee has appointed a new waterways ombudsman, Sarah Daniel. She takes asks David Fletcher T over at the end of July when Andrew Walker, who has been in post for almost seven years, retires. Sarah writes to tell us a bit about Nearly 75% of our members now have email ad- a problem if we get a rejection—and we do get herself, being an ombudsman, and her first im- dresses registered in our membership system. them every month. pressions of the world of waterways. This is extremely useful as it means that you can Some email services try to be helpful and filter be kept in touch with Association news, mem- out junk mail. Some smartphones also ‘decide’ to I live in the north west with my partner, bership renewal and queries. filter out junk mail .... and Samsung smartphones Graham. We have two grown-up children, Of course, that does rather depend on seem pretty good at it. So, if you aren’t hearing a lovely new granddaughter and a Jack Russell, whether you read those messages. If you have a from us or if the monthly bulletin, sent on the who loves to walk along the canal towpath and letterbox at home and the postman delivers let- 1st of the month, hasn’t arrived, it’s worth check- chase the ducks. My working background has ters to you, I’d guess you pick them up and open ing your Spam, Junk or Unwanted mail folders. If always involved complaints: after graduating, I them every day. Think of your email ‘letterbox’ in you see an email there with the sender as xxx@ worked for the DWP for the UK and Australian the same way—if you’ve given out your email ad- nabo.org.uk, that’s us! You should then be able to Governments, specialising in benefit claims and dress, then people are likely to send you email, so click on the message and click on ‘Not Spam’ or tribunal work. Here I gained an understanding of it makes sense to open it as you would for post on take a similar action. Then future email from us working with members of the public in difficult New Waterways your doormat. How often? Why not every day? should arrive in your Inbox. circumstances and the importance of putting We have had some feedback from members say- Of course, if you are not ever going to read complicated information into layman’s terms, to ing that they’ve not received an email (e.g. “My your email, then we are better off not having allow both sides to understand why a decision Ombudsman renewal reminder didn’t arrive”, “I didn’t get the the address—at least we will know how to get in has been reached. In 2004, I joined Ombudsman bulletin”). If we have your current email address, touch. We are keen to use the technology, indeed Services dealing with complaints about commu- Sarah Daniel introduces herself then any mailshots will have been sent there. But we could not operate without it, but not to the nication providers, becoming an ombudsman in For more information about the scheme please visit if we still have an old address, then that’s where exclusion of those who do not wish to do so. But 2009—I’ve helped in the resolution of thousands the website www.waterways-ombudsman.org any mail will have gone! We only know there is half-in half-out is not a good solution. of complaints on a range of subjects. In 2016 I was promoted to lead ombudsman and managed should mean that my part-time role gets smaller the multi-sector ombudsman team. as my time as the ombudsman progresses. I have The title ‘ombudsman’ is very grand, conjuring a five-year term to see if that holds true. Roy Lees up images of wigs, gowns and complicated legal So, what attracted me to this role? Last year, jargon, but it’s not like that at all. In fact, I believe I decided it was time for a life change, to re- We were shocked to hear of the sudden death, that being an ordinary middle-aged woman from store some balance and look for a new challenge following a massive heart attack, of Roy Lees, Warrington makes me the perfect candidate to look which would make the most of my experience, our jovial host who always welcomed us so at issues through the eyes of a fair and reasonable but allow time for other activities, like being a warmly for Council meetings at Tamworth person acting in a reasonable way. That is the role grandma. So, I was thrilled when I was appointed Cruising Club. It happened on Sunday 30th of the ombudsman; to make sure that both sides of by the Committee, which has responsibility for June, just a week after our last meeting, as he the argument have had equal opportunity to pre- ensuring the independence and integrity of the and his wife Jane were doing some work on sent their case. Then to look at the information and scheme. I am keen to get started and very grate- their narrowboat, Lancashire Lass. evidence which has been provided and come to a ful to Andrew for his support in the changeover Roy had recently retired from the com- decision, clearly explained and, if appropriate, with period. I have a lot of new waterways’ jargon pany he set up and ran for many years and he a resolution or remedy. and terminology to learn and to start there will and Jane were looking forward to spending I have already met some staff from the Canal & inevitably be some gaps in my waterways knowl- more time cruising. River Trust and I was encouraged to see that they edge, but the process of complaint handling and Our thoughts are with Jane and their chil- are working hard to improve the way they cap- investigation is at the core of the role, where my dren and grandchildren. ture and respond to complaints at the first level expertise and experience lies. Helen Hutt to avoid the need for escalation. The ultimate aim Hopefully our paths won’t cross in the future for any ombudsman is to make themselves obso- and you will not need to use the service. But it’s lete by providing feedback to providers to enable always good to know that there is somewhere to them to learn from past mistakes and make im- go if you are unhappy with a final response from provements to processes and procedures. This the Trust to a complaint.” NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 10 11 NABO at the User Groups

Representing you: NABO at the user groups Bank Maintenance geotextile sheets with pockets for CRT has about 500 km of soft tow- wooden stakes, backfilled with path bank repairs to carry out in dredgings or coir bundles, depend- NAG: Operations coming years. It wants to standard- ing on environmental needs. The ise repair methods, as regions have repairs need time to grow and are A report by David Fletcher from the June meeting been doing their own thing with generally not suitable as visitor Vegetation mowing app: mixed outcomes and some early moorings. They will be asking for hese meetings continue, previous attempts at special licenc- failures. boater's input shortly—getting this Search for an app called with a mix of users working es have not found favour. It is to ‘Explorer for ArcGIS’, The preferred method uses right is a big money issue. install it, then search for to provide advice to CRT in start a campaign to persuade boat- ‘CRT’ to find the maps. T operating the waterways as ers not to moor on water points and it affects users. There are subgroups lock landings, which will involve two Winter stoppages: have your say that cover the main issues: dredg- warnings and then the threat of re- BSS Advisory Committee ing; winter stoppages; vegetation; moval of the boat. canalrivertrust.org.uk/ Alison Tuck reports from the June meeting at Hatton notices/winter and the new one—moorings. These Vegetation Information on Nicospan small groups generally operate well, greenfix.co.uk/products/ as they can get down to the detail, CRT is now using updated mowing alarms and BSS been refilled in this way. Calor Gas is bioengineering/nicospan. and the CRT staff involved are well schedules with Fountains. There are inspections—imple- aware of the situation and is working html engaged and listening. And they are several specifications, for example: CO mentation of the new with the petrol retailers. generally free of politics, which is a cut to edge; or cut 0.5m either side regulation on CO alarms has gone The number of incidents re- nice change. The missing item is li- of the towpath. These are displayed well, with a low rate of failures due ported between January and May censing, of course. I was in London on maps by colour code, available on to not having an alarm installed; the this year is significantly down, but in June for the latest meeting at the mobile phone devices. If you think message seems to have got through the committee was unsure of the Little Venice office, well attended by that they should cut to edge at your that a CO alarm is required. There reasons why; either the scheme is users and senior CRT managers. favourite mooring, or on a line of was comment about the criteria for working well or incidents are not sight on a bend, you can check what checking the position of alarms be- being reported. There have been no Moorings is supposed to be done. ing too complicated and why aren't incidents causing fatalities. The big issue in London is, of course, they the same as hire-boats. The An explosion in January involv- Stoppages moorings. The annual boat count Management Committee wants boat ing a petrol engine on a cruiser, shows a further 200 boats in the area. The winter stoppage group is work- safety examiners to explain potential when a crew member was refuelling Though the rate of increase is down, ing on plans for the coming winter, sources of CO to boat owners during the boat and the ignition key was numbers keep going up and there is which are available for general com- the examination but examiner asso- turned. An incident relating to a no solution to the insufficiency of ment, so please go and look and ciations are not happy with this. solid-fuel stove after the occupier moorings. The London Plan is being make your views known. Implementation of the new ex- left the stove running with the door implemented, but this only provides aminer course is going well and it open, which activated a CO alarm. Widebeams a limited increase in services and will be a combination of distance A narrowboat owner spent seven mooring places, and goes nowhere The intrusion of widebeam boats learning and practical in-class train- hours in a hospital decompression near to meeting the problem. CRT into narrow canals also received ing, so it looks like the BSS will run chamber following CO poisoning is very keen to keep the Regent’s quite some discussion. CRT agrees the course soon to get more qualified caused by a generator operating Canal open to visiting boaters and that there is an issue, not least be- examiners. There are currently 120 on the stern deck, when the wind it is doing this by providing book- cause of the underwater damage examiners and the Scheme thinks blew exhaust fumes into the cabin able moorings in Little Venice and that they cause. But boaters are wor- 220 would be the maximum. through ventilators. The owner was the Paddington Arm. Moving boats ried about the obstruction that they An on-going safety issue is some asleep and was alerted by the CO also have to be able to get moor- cause on narrow waterways. Some boaters using a cheap gadget, sold alarm, which he considers saved his ings on the way in, so moorings are of these boats have been craned into on ebay, that can be used to refill life. One electrical fire caused by an also needed at Red Bull and similar marinas for residential use—there is gas bottles at petrol stations. The ancient electrical heater that hadn’t sites. The fact remains that the de- no objection to this, but they should BSS doesn't want to highlight it, out been used for some time. The own- mand for water space far exceeds not leave the marina to cruise nar- of concern that more people will do ers stopped the fire from spreading the availability, so what is to be done row waterways. CRT has a plan to it, but there are significant cost sav- using a hose and a portable fire ex- to address this? CRT does not have address this, based on education and ings to be had. A boat safety check tinguisher, having been woken by the powers to exclude boats and its persuasion. wouldn't be able to tell if a bottle has the smoke alarm. NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 12 13 NABO at the User Groups CRT News EA’s National Navigation Users Forum Contacting CRT CRT CONTACTS

now at weekends too Emergency: Mike Rodd attended in London, 12th June Phone: 999 then 0800 47 999 47 From 7th July, boaters are able to get in touch with the CRT customer service team seven Urgent: well-attended meeting with other navigation authorities 0800 47 999 47 that proved to be most and is clearly building on CRT’s days a week. The team will respond to enquiries intriguing. Chaired by experience. There is, for example, from 8am-6pm Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm on Non-urgent: Robert Gould from the a continuing study of all charging Saturdays and 10am-4pm on Sundays. Passage Phone: 0303 0404040 A Twitter: @CRTcontactus EA Board, the main purpose was to schemes, striving for consistency bookings can only be made on weekdays .You provide an update on the significant across all authorities. This is intend- can get in touch with the Trust to report an inci- Live chat: canalrivertrust.org.uk/ changes taking place within EA in ed to result in a public consultation dent or to let them know about any non-urgent contact-us terms of support for their navigation- in spring 2020, for implementation problems you have, or have come across, by call- Environmental pollution: al responsibilities. The driving factor in 2021. ing 0303 0404040, tweeting @CRTcontactus EA 0800 80 70 60 was the Government’s decision to Likewise there is a small, well-in- completing and emailing the web-form or chat- not, at this stage, go ahead with the formed, team looking into EA’s asset ting live at canalrivertrust.org.uk/contact-us/ proposal for CRT to take over EA’s management, with objectives mir- ways-to-contact-us. Examples include low or Also call CRT’s emergency number when a navigational responsibilities. The re- roring CRT’s to adopt commercially high water levels, damage or vandalism, fly-tip- situation is urgent (but be aware that staff will sult has been a major reorganisation recognised standards etc. Additional ping or animal carcasses, unlicensed or speeding make a judgement based on the severity of the within the EA, including shifting the funding has been made available to boats, or facility breakdowns (e.g. water point, incident and do not always ask an on-duty staff navigation work into the Flood and immediately address some of the pump out). member to respond directly). Examples include a Water Directorate. The team, head- most urgent needs – clearly this In an emergency, call 999 and, when you have seriously damaged lock, bridge or tunnel, a boat ed by Andy Wilkinson, has a brief follows on from CRT’s in-depth received a response from the emergency services, trapped in a dangerous situation (e.g. on a weir to develop a five-year business plan analysis of the asset-management inform CRT on its 24-hour emergency number or in a lock), serious flooding or a breech that from 2020, aimed at producing a challenges facing EA. (0800 47 999 47). This type of emergency is, for risks lives or property. sustainable navigation programme. Finally, Julian Kennard gave an over- example, when lives are at risk (including serious To report environmental pollution (including view of some of the immediate injury, illness, fatality, need for rescue help, fire dead fish or fish gasping at the water surface), national navigation issues, which or explosion on a boat), or to report a crime. call the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60. The Government has decided not included: The need to address Defra’s clean New West Midlands Team CRT’s input to Coventry City of Culture and to go ahead with the proposal for air strategy and the questions this the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. raises relating to emissions and CRT to take over EA’s navigational In May, CRT announced the following appoint- Ani Sutton is Community Engagement the impacts on boating in gen- ments: Manager, leading volunteering and education, eral; responsibilities is Regional Operations and the youth and events programme. Updating AINA’s Hire Boat Code Rebecca Whitehouse Manager, responsible for the operations Richard Preston is Partnerships and External The overview of this work was pre- with a target of 2021 for a public teams across the region, managing the Area Relationships Manager, responsible for en- sented by Alice Mayne, an EA consultation; Operations Managers and Reactive Response gagement with funders, authorities and Deputy Director responsible for Issues relating to the changing and Contracts Manager. Rebecca’s team businesses, campaigns and communications. navigation and commercial activi- use of the waterways for residen- also includes volunteer lock keepers and the Audrey O’Connor is Heritage and ties. Navigation is now an integral tial use. Towpath Taskforce. Environment Manager, leading a team of part of EA’s plan to become com- It was a meeting largely with a one- is Boating and Customer ecologists, environmental scientists and mercially viable wherever possible way information flow, but valuable Tom Freeland Service Manager, responsible heritage advisors. – even if this will require changes to in terms of seeing EA’s short-term for boat licensing and customer its legal basis. Thus, there is a review focus away from the possible merger service support. of charging strategies, investigations into CRT of its navigational respon- is Head of Operational into potential income generating sibilities, with a largely new team Ian Lane Projects, responsible for schemes, exploration of possible lo- brought in to develop a strategy for Community Roots projects cal contributions and an in-depth sustainability. After five years? Well, in Coventry and the Black assessment of all operational re- as one of the EA speakers said, may- Country, destination develop- quirements and their funding. be then it would be sensible for them ment and management, and This review is being undertaken to hand over to CRT! Becky Whitehouse Tom Freeland Richard Preston NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 14 15 News News CRT survey shows decline in boaters’ satisfaction More on the Monty The survey, carried out in March and April 2018 2019 this year, was sent to a third of CRT’s boat licence % % Details can be found at holders and received 1,163 responses. RT, volunteers from the the Montgomery Canal Partnership Satisfied with their experience of 70 61 Shropshire Union Canal aim to fully restore the canal within www.restorethemont- Narrowboat owners were the most positive, cruising the waterways -9 gomerycanal.uk. with 65% expressing satisfaction with their boat- Society and contractors the next decade. ing experience. Would recommend the waterways 76 58 C have upgraded nearly five 60% restored Across the regions, boaters in the West to other boaters -18 miles of towpath, relined the ca- Midlands and East Midlands were most satisfied, Overall upkeep rated as OK to 74 69 nal bed to restore navigation to 1¼ The Partnership chair, John Dodwell, at 68% and 67% respectively, while continuous excellent -5 miles of the Montgomery Canal said: "This means that 60% of this cruisers also expressed satisfaction levels of 65%. from Maesbury to Crickheath, near historic, lovely canal has been re- Feel they know the Trust very well 53 59 Oswestry, and created a winding stored. We look forward to more Boaters in Yorkshire and the North East were or a fair amount +6 least satisfied, with only 48% expressing satisfac- hole basin. support from the public, both by Trust the charity to look after the 62 56 volunteers and donations, to enable tion. waterways -4 First boats in 80 years Jon Horsfall, Head of Customer Service us to make further progress." Support, said: “We are disappointed in the drop Feel favourable to the Trust 54 47 This will be the first time in 80+ The areas awaiting restoration in boater satisfaction. We recognise the past -7 years that boats can return to are 7.5 miles from Gronwen to year has been one of change for our custom- Crickheath, after the canal was Arddlin, at the northern end of the ers, including changes to the prompt payment who has taken part in the survey and would like closed due to a breach in 1936. In navigable Welshpool section, and discount and increased licence fees for boat to give all our boating customers the assurance Wales, the work will include restor- 8.5 miles from Refail to Newtown, owners with wider boats. We also acknowledge that boating and navigation is at the very heart of ing 12 historic structures, dredging Powys, in the southern end of the the impact of last year’s drought and the effects everything we do.” four areas to improve the flow of the Welshpool section. The canal is all in of unpredictable infrastructure failures on cus- The full survey report will be published on the water, towpath works and communi- single ownership; the water supply is tomers throughout the year. I thank everyone Trust’s website. ty involvement. secure; and all the locks have been For the first time in any canal res- restored. A restoration fund is cur- toration, two nature reserve lakes rently focussed on raising £300k to have been constructed parallel to the rebuild Schoolhouse Bridge, the last Update on lock canal at Aston Locks, near Queens lowered bridge in England. Head, to provide a three-hectare restrictions habitat for aquatic flora and fauna that were removed from the canal. Following rainfall over recent weeks, CRT has updated its water saving measures on the Leeds Montgomery Canal SSSI and Liverpool, Oxford and Grand Union canals. The Montgomery is designated as a It is removing restrictions at Johnsons Hillocks SSSI on both sides of the border and and Blackburn locks as they are fed by feeders as in Wales it is also recognised as a well as from the summit. Special Area of Conservation, being However, the L&L reservoirs have not seen one of the most important sites for enough rainfall to refill them to a satisfactory wildlife in Europe. level and restricted opening times remain at The four-year, £4 million pro- Barrowford Locks, Greenberfield Locks, Bank ject is being funded by the National Newton Locks and Gargrave Locks, as they are Lottery Heritage Fund and the solely fed from the reservoirs. European Regional Development The opening times remain in place on the Fund, supported by the Montgomery Wigan Flight to minimise vandalism risks. On Canal Partnership, and is due to be the Oxford and Grand Union Canals, the Trust completed by 2020. remains cautious and is keeping the restricted The canal runs for 35 miles be- opening times to ensure that the canals have the tween England and Wales, but only Stuart Moodie and Sara Hill with an underwater drone camera to monitor best chance of staying open throughout the sum- around half is currently navigable. wildlife at the new Monty nature reserve mer. David Carter and Michael Limbrey at Crickheath basin The 15 organisations that make up Photo: CRT Photo: CRT NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 16 17 News Towpath cycling : Marple open again a legal precedent? Plastics Challenge Problems with the lock chamber walls, first at Peter Fellows examines CRT's initiative on plastics disposal and litter Lock 15 and then at Lock 11, resulted in the In June, a court case was reported in which a lock flight being closed to through-traffic since woman who stepped into the road while looking September 2017. After 20 months of emergency at her mobile phone won damages from a cyclist repairs, the flight opened again in May. who collided with her. The Judge ruled that even n June, amid much public- though she was distracted when she was hit, ity, CRT launched its ‘Plastics the cyclist was liable, stating: “Cyclists must be Challenge’, asking everyone prepared at all times for people to behave in un- I who visits a waterway to pick expected ways.” up one piece of litter. The Judge continued, saying that the cyclist: This, they say, would make canals “owed a duty to other road users to drive with clear of plastic within a year. It fol- reasonable care and skill. Even where a motorist lows a study by Coventry University or cyclist had the right of way, pedestrians who that reviewed data from 15 repre- are established on the road have right of way” sentative locations and found that and that the cyclist “did fall below the level to plastics account for almost 60% of 14 million be expected of a reasonably competent cyclist in waste in and along CRT’s waterways. items of plastic end up in and around our that he did proceed when the road was not com- The study estimated that 570,000 canals and rivers pletely clear.” items of plastic from the waterways every year reach the sea each year, an issue highlighted by TV programmes, such as David Attenborough’s Blue Planet £1 million of charity funding and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is spent every year and Anita Rani’s War on Plastic. The dealing with litter and fly-tipping research also found that the amount of litter along a stretch of waterway Photo: CRT does not relate to the surrounding 100,000 hours of volunteer population, levels of deprivation in time is spent picking Amsterdam to ban the area, or how much the towpath up litter each year petrol and diesel is used. A considerable amount of rubbish ends up on towpaths and in powered boats the water from land and buildings alongside the canal or from being Our canals and As part of its efforts to improve air quality, dropped from bridges. rivers carry over Amsterdam City Council is proposing to ban all 500,000 petrol and diesel powered boats from the city The cost of waste items of plastic to the centre (within the A10 ring road) by 2025. Diesel Almost everyone would agree that ocean every year cars made before 2005 will be excluded by next rubbish is a big issue for CRT and If every time someone visited our canals and rivers they picked up and year and other petrol and diesel vehicles will be other navigation authorities, with disposed of just one piece of plastic, banned from the city centre from 2030. CRT reporting that in 2017/18 it within a year there would be no The Dutch marine trade association is discuss- ‘dealt with nearly 5,500 tonnes of plastic left. ing the implications of the new legislation with waste from customer bin areas

its members and several thousand boat owners and individual pedestrian and dog 6938_CRT_SpringLitterCampaign_A4Infographic_am8_300519_V9.indd 1 30/05/2019 13:23 who will be affected by the new legislation. It is waste bins at a cost of £775,000 and 78% diverted from landfill’, and it will The Plastics ‘try to put recycling bins at every lo- Challenge report is at hoping to agree some concessions to mitigate the £185,000 respectively’. canalrivertrust.org. economic consequences for its members and it It also spent £80,000 clearing cation, (but) due to logistical reasons uk/news-and-views/ is lobbying to have the area covered by the ban away fly-tipped waste on towpaths such as a location being isolated and features/plastic-and- reduced in size to the immediate city centre. and other property. CRT claims that rural, it sometimes means (it) can’t litter-in-our-canals From International Boat Industry News, 10/5/19 it ‘recycled most of this waste with get a recycling service there.’ Photo: Wikipedia Commons NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 18 19 Boating and the Environment CRT Plastics Challenge

There are two aspects to this: with the sentiment of the plastics litter left by visitors—and CRT is drive, but CRT need to put their “CRT need to put their money encouraging more of them with its money where their mouth is and waterways and wellbeing strategy— step up too. If you want to remove where their mouth is and and refuse disposal for boaters. plastics from the canals, where are The ten tips for visitors to reduce the refuse and recycling facilities?” step up too. If you want to waste along towpaths are welcome “Are these people [visitors] to (such as not buying bottled water or take the rubbish home with them?” remove the plastics from the coffee in disposable cups, products “You took away the recycling with microbeads or glitter in them, bins at Great Bedwyn. I discovered canals, where are the refuse and and using beeswax paper wraps or that you'd been duping boaters into reusable containers instead of cling- recycling, and then one of your recycling facilities?” film or foil for sandwich wrappers). employees would come along and The report also states: ‘most of empty the recycling waste into the our rubbish compounds only accept normal bins. The upshot was you boaters’ bagged domestic rubbish, never paid the local authority to take but we have an increasing number away the recycling. Rather than re-

13% Cans of recycling points. By separating instate proper recycling facilities, 3% Other metal recycling from general rubbish, we CRT's answer was to remove the 6% Glass avoid paying landfill tax. If someone bins. Great initiative and it shows a 5% Bagged faeces puts a bag of general mixed waste in real desire to get that plastic waste

a recycling bin, the whole bin will be dealt with. I think not!” treated by our contractors as mixed “Such a good point, unfortunately waste and the tax will be charged on as the wider bins are often overflow- the whole load.’ The tips for boaters ing, the recycling bins are used as

1% Un-bagged faeces to ‘store rubbish securely until you general bins, which in turn means 4% Polystyrene reach a bin, so it doesn’t get blown they are removed because they are 7% Paper & Card into the canal’ and to ‘separate re- abused. It’s just a PR stunt, I suspect, 1% Pottery cyclables and make use of recycling by its timing.” 2% Wood facilities’ are self-evident to most “There are so many gaps between 3% Cloth boaters. utilities now that it is no wonder that

The composition of rubbish 55% Total plastic On the NABO Facebook page, plastic ends up blowing into the ca- found in or around the rivers some boaters responded: “I agree nal!” and canals. Source: CRT

NABO is conducting a survey of waste disposal facilities that have been closed, so, if you know of any, please send details to the Editor, who will pass them on. The location of a nearest non-canalside recycling point can be found using www.recyclenow.com/ local-recycling.

NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 20 21 Boating Safely

nearby and threatening life. The The silent killer usual high-level sources are petrol engines, used for propulsion or with Carbon monoxide latest generators, and solid-fuel stoves. If It's not just for exam day, it saves lives, says NABO’s BSS representative the boat next door puts a load of fuel David Fletcher on the fire and smoke is blowing into your boat, what do you do? You shut the window. But if you are asleep, he requirement for a CO been carrying sensitive CO moni- you need a CO alarm to do its work. alarm in all boats with ac- toring recorders while working on Diesel engines and Webasco-type commodation became a board. There are two issues: one of heaters are not very high CO sourc- T BSS requirement in April. protection for examiners who are es, if well maintained, but the noise This applies to all boats immedi- entering boats with no idea of the and fumes are not pleasant. ately, even if your examination was condition of stoves, water heaters The BSS ventilation requirements as late as March and you will not be and cookers; and secondly, to see for boats have long been a source of cold, causing incomplete combus- checked for another four years. The what is happening while the exami- contention. Historically they have tion. It can also happen if a large BSS office tells us that the examina- nation is in progress. And results required an air-gap based on how kettle or pan of cold water is placed tions taking place since April are from the monitoring recorders are many appliances or burners are pre- on a hob. There is nothing to wor- recording less than 10% failures on showing how widespread the inci- sent, and a presumption that they ry about if the ventilation is good. CO alarm requirements. This is a re- dences of low level CO are. These are all working at the same time. This The latest CO leaflet talks about ally good result when the estimates levels may not be enough to set off is rather typical of conservative en- keeping a window open, but if your were that perhaps a third of boats an alarm, but they are of concern gineering assumptions, when safety fixed ventilation is substandard, the did not have them. for long-term exposure. Do you get has to be engineered into design and weather is poor and windows are Of course, alarms are not just for headaches on board? is not dependant on users’ actions. shut, there will be detectable CO in the day of the examination; they have For hire-boats, this ventilation is a the galley. The concern about this to work every day. So there is a job to Ventilation considerations requirement but, for private boats, it is the effect of long-term, low-level be done, checking them by pushing BSS has been considering what is is advisory because it is a first-party exposure, and little is known about the button. There are businesses that happening in boat cabins with re- risk. About 20% of private boats do lower safety thresholds. sell testing gases to check the func- gards to ventilation, air changes, the not meet this recommendation. But So, there will be an on-going tion, but there is no need for these dispersal of toxins like CO and also fixed ventilation is an important ele- debate about the ventilation require- in a boating environment—pushing tiny propane gas leaks. ment in keeping us safe. There is no ments as we understand more, but the test-button is perfectly adequate. The most recent live trials were minimum requirement for private they are unlikely to be changed soon. If you really must live-check it, find done at Mercia Marina and involved boats because it is not of concern They are conservative but not unrea- a petrol engine and put the alarm in releasing sample gases outside a to a navigation authority, but why sonably expensive to comply with. the exhaust gas plume. boat to look for the effects as they would a prudent boater not comply The concern is about low-level CO Remember that any BSS require- were blown through cabin spaces. It for their own safety? from onboard appliances, although ment is designed to meet the need of was this evidence, together with the a first-party risk, which could be a navigation authority, which should horrific fatal accident on the Broads, CO in the galley adversely affected by a reduction in be satisfied that a boat is safe enough which led to confirmation of third- All combustion produces some CO ventilation area. What can you do? that it will not be a risk to other us- party risk and the introduction of but a well-maintained cooker gen- Make sure your alarm(s) meet the ers or the authority’s own facilities. the alarm requirement. erally produces very little, and the BSS requirements and test them It is not about protecting a private The BSS also has a number of ventilation allows air changes so that often by pressing the button. Think boat user. So BSS is a minimum CO monitoring recorders deployed fumes disperse. about what to do if an alarm goes off. requirement for the navigation au- in residential boats in London, so The CO alarm manufacturers If your ventilation does not meet the thority. There is no requirement (for that data can be gathered about low say not to place the alarms over the requirements, get extra ventilation example) to service the engine, but levels of CO in cabins, when there stove, so that there are no nuisance grilles put in. Maintain your stoves, that is something that the owner will is a group of boats together. All this alarms. But this doesn’t mean that cooker, heater etc. If you are get- have to consider. is about the risks to boaters, not there is no CO: the examiners’ moni- ting persistent headaches when on This is not the end of the CO is- from on-board stoves etc., but from tors have shown that gas grills give board, think about what is going on sue in BSS circles. For some time, the gases blowing into a cabin from off a high level of CO when they are and check, check and check again; it a small number of examiners have another high-concentration source first lit. This is because the metal is could save a life. NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 22 23 Talking Points

pin having not paid due care and at- borne out. Share the space tention, then the boater should not The best guidance for NABO to then be liable. In short, where there maintain in our view is to reiterate What happens if there is conflict? is a public right of way any liability the CRT guidance to members and will boil down to who was reason- to ensure that common sense use of Mark Tizard reviews NABO’s recent legal advice able and who is the ultimate cause of the towpaths is employed as far as any accident. It may be that a boater possible with moorings being made s part of CRT’s drive NABO Council subsequently sought is the main cause but that the cyclist as visible as possible to other users.” to ensure continued a decision from our legal advisers to say has still contributed to his own Q2. What liability does CRT Government funding, its get some clarity. We asked the fol- downfall in large part (say lines are have in these circumstances, given A intention is to increase lowing questions and received the left out dangerously but then a cy- that the cyclist is on a permissive the number of people visiting the detailed reply below: clist comes too quickly and without path and there are no notices on towpath this year from 4.3m to Q1. Is a boater liable for a claim proper attention) and then a liability entering the towpath, warning 4.5m per fortnight. Towpaths are for damages for any injuries or loss- might follow against a boater but re- towpath users of moored boats being upgraded and resurfaced, es incurred if cyclists (or any other duced with contributory negligence and to be aware of mooring pins? from grass to graded pathways, and towpath users) injure themselves against the cyclist. Advice: “It is unlikely that any millions of pounds from Sustrans as a direct result of contact with a The basic position as to whether lack of signage will create a position support the development of a na- mooring pin, or the mooring lines a boater would be liable to another where CRT would be more likely to tional cycling network. The number from the pin securing a boat? towpath user would start from the have a liability to a boater or a cyclist of cyclists using towpaths for leisure Advice: “The definitive answer is same principles as if it were a pub- say in any accident between the two.” and, increasingly, for commuting, is that any liability will be dependent lic right of way, but would then be Many will have read the much growing rapidly and this has led to upon the individual fact specific cir- further informed by the rules CRT publicised case of the cyclist who increased potential for conflict be- cumstances of each case. However, had imposed in granting access. The was successfully sued for damages tween cyclists and other towpath some guidance can be given that CRT guidance dictates that cyclists by a pedestrian who walked into users. CRT’s reaction has been to in- can inform generally. The first point do not require a permit to cycle on his path while looking at her mobile troduce a ‘share the space’ campaign, is to determine the status of the in- their towpaths. They are simply phone. This was largely on the basis but idyllic photos showing a young dividual towpath in question. CRT asked to cycle with ‘great care’. As to that the cyclist should have been family cycling along a deserted tow- guidance explains most towpaths speed limits CRT says none is dictat- aware of his surroundings and the path are not the reality for many. are not public rights of way but ‘per- ed but they ask that ‘everyone uses likelihood of pedestrians stepping This is better summed up by a recent missive paths’, where they permit the common sense, with primary con- into the road, and he should have post on social media: “Another inci- public to use them. sideration for pedestrians and those been cycling at a speed that allowed dent at accident hotspot, Bridge 38 In the event that a towpath in handling boats’. Thus in our view this him to safely stop. on the Regent’s Canal. Two cyclists question turned out to be a public places a higher duty on cyclists on a NABO’s advice to its members met coming from opposite direc- right of way and assuming it had CRT permissive route to act with is first to ensure that your insur- tions in the very narrow space under been properly maintained then in- care and consideration, such that ance has a legal costs option, if this the bridge and the cyclist heading jury for any towpath user as a result whilst a boater could still be found is available. When mooring, we towards City Road lock went into the of contact with a mooring pin or liable for causing injury if say creat- strongly recommend that members canal with his bike, hitting a moored mooring lines will boil down to who ing an unreasonable hazard, these follow CRT’s mooring guidelines: “If boat on his way in. Thankfully no can be seen as negligent and is ul- circumstances would be remote, as a there aren’t any bollards or rings, use injuries, but not a nice experience timately to blame for any incident. cyclist would be expected to be go- your mooring stakes if the ground is and a ruined phone and laptop. One For instance, if bollards and rings ing at a speed such that they could suitable … if the ground is soft, check day there will be more than just hurt are available but not used and in- slow down to stop/avoid any proper- the stability of the bank. Position pride and ruined possessions.” stead lightly coloured lines are tied ly visible hazard created under CRT the stakes as far from the bank as This year, NABO has been con- across a towpath that a cyclist can- guidance. you can, but don’t tie your ropes tacted for the first time by boaters not reasonably see/anticipate, then In summary a boater may be liable across the towpath. Knock them in who have been threatened with legal a boater would likely be found to be in theory for injuries to another tow- to about three-quarters their length action by cyclists who have suffered at fault. Whereas if say a boater has path user but if they can show they and make sure they’re firm. Mark injury or damage as a result of collid- utilised bollards or rings or has used have acted reasonably in relation to them with a piece of light-coloured ing with mooring pins or ropes. CRT a highlighted mooring stake in ac- their mooring and highlighted the cloth or a white plastic bag or bottle, has passed on the boat owners’ de- cordance with CRT guidance and a same, it is extremely unlikely that a so that other towpath users can see tails when approached by solicitors. cyclist crashes into that highlighted claim against them can properly be them clearly.” NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 24 25 Talking Points

Trust does not have a problem if the The widebeam saga cruises on widebeam craft remain in the mari- The solution was for CRT to nas as they won’t cause a navigational Helen Hutt has some thoughts on recent incidents safety issue for other craft. However, remove the coping stones and I understand that, without the ability to crane in widebeam craft at these marinas, any craft heading to them part of the towpath in order to n his article ‘Nowhere to turn’ the answer from our solicitor is “No. has to travel by water. In this scenar- in the last issue of NABO CRT cannot actively police or stop io we will be looking to put measures free the [widebeam] boat. News, Kevin McNiff talked such travel . . . and thus the liability in place to manage any navigation of I in depth about the issue of of any accident caused as a result of wide craft to/from the marinas.” widebeam boats using narrow ca- a boat being too wide must rest with On 20th June, in ensuing cor- nals, and the inconclusive responses the particular boat owner that has respondence about what should from both CRT and the Waterways chosen to travel along that particular happen in case of an incident in- Ombudsman to the problems which stretch of waterway.” volving a widebeam, CRT said: “The could—and surely will, before too So, the only advice NABO can Trust has received very few reports long—arise. give to members is to plan and about wide craft on the North In the interim, NABO sought a know routes to be taken, particularly Oxford (and none that have actually legal view on the question “If a mem- when using widebeam boats, and to cause a collision or blocking of the ber’s boat sustains damage caused maintain insurance in the event of navigation) so we cannot respond by a widebeam boat travelling on a unexpected issues. or address the issue if we don’t get narrow canal, does CRT have any li- the information.” Something about Issues on the North Oxford… ability for permitting this?” In short, ‘prevention rather than cure’ comes Some of you will be aware that a to mind. widebeam that had been on show at Crick this year was craned into the …and even on wide canals water on 6th June to make its way on And then, just a few days later, there the (narrow) North Oxford Canal to was a widebeam incident which did its destination marina, which had no block the navigation—on a wide ca- craning-in facility. nal! When asked about this, CRT told An extra-wide, brand new boat NABO Chair Stella Ridgway: “The arrived from a Warwick boat build- Trust was not aware in advance that er near the bottom of the Stockton this was going to happen. The craft flight on the Grand Union and was craned in late in the evening and promptly got stuck in Bridge 24. was in the marina by early morning CRT’s width guidance for the GU so there was little that we could have from Long Buckby to Camp Hill is done at that stage. We’re finalising 12ft 6in and the next bridge, Blue our proposal to manage the issue of Lias, No. 23, is even narrower, 12ft wide craft on the North Oxford and according to Nicholson’s guide, so then will be discussing them with what was this monster doing here in NAG and the marinas. Once I have the first place? Coping stones removed more detail I’ll let you know.” CRT had to remove the coping only imagine the backlog of boats! Photo (and opposite) Joab Lawlor Another email from CRT added: stones and part of the towpath in or- Good business for the local pubs, no “Our recently updated maximum der to free the boat and I sincerely doubt, but very frustrating all round. craft dimensions make clear that hope that the owner has been held All this suggests to me that pur- the North Oxford is not suitable liable for the cost of sorting out this chasers of widebeam boats are for general navigation by widebeam problem. To make matters worse, perhaps not being given the full craft. There are some marinas on the this happened when the nearby story before they buy? It can only be North Oxford that do have wide- Bascote staircase was out of action a matter of time before there is an beam craft moored in them. The due to a damaged cill, so one can even more serious incident. NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 26 27 BOOK REVIEW Rewind Narrowboat Life : Jim Batty Issue No 4, 2004 Everything you need to Howard Anguish explores NABO News from 15 years ago know about living afloat Reviewed by Peter Fellows Chairman’s Column Alcohol sur- the point that, while being able to vey: A recent survey and a website see litter on the surface, there is little pproximately 6% of work, time and consultation concerning alcohol mention of underwater obstructions NABO members are live- inconvenience on boats raised some interesting and debris that can cause lots of prob- aboards with a permanent to replenish.” points—in particular, what about lems—shopping trolleys or wheely A mooring, or continuous “... every per- lock crew? The piece concluded: bins among them. Not to mention, cruisers, so this book is likely to ap- son in the UK, “Many people thought there was a of course, plastic bags or bits of blue peal to the other 94%, some of whom on average, case for apprehending inebriated rope that necessitate frequent trips may be considering a life afloat in a uses 150 litres steerers before they caused an ac- down the weed hatch. President: Bill O’Brien J.P. M.P. more permanent way. The 2nd edi- of water each cident, but others were fearful they User group meetings following the ISSUE 4/04 - June 2004 tion of Narrowboat Life by NABO day. Now pon- may fall foul of the law after a couple comments about underwater rubbish Policy Review3 / Alcohol Survey / WWR Progress member, Jim Batty, is a distillation of der the fact that of pints at lunchtime. Almost every- worried woman of the waterways answers to all the questions he has our ordinary body had severe reservations about asks whether User Group meetings been asked since becoming a con- water tank un- enforcement, particularly on the do any good, or “are they just a public tinuous cruiser ten years ago. The der the bow holds 380 litres. It BW canals, where manpower is very relations exercise and a good excuse 224-page book covers everything lasts the two of us a week—two scarce for enforcing anything, espe- for a chat while guzzling free food?” you need to know about how to weeks if we really stretch it. cially as, for safety, staff sent out to She asks: “Who attends meetings? make a narrowboat (or a widebeam, Life’s too short to be tracking apprehend drunken boaters would Waterway users, of course, anglers, cruiser, or barge) your home, with down water points and fill- need to be in pairs”. walkers, cyclists, botanists, entomolo- hands-on advice that answers such ing the tank every day or two. NABO policy review As part of gists (and goodness knows how many questions as: How much do you pay So by default, we use one fifth NABO’s ongoing policy review, this other '-ists') and finally, those under- for a narrowboat? What’s it like, liv- of the water of those living on edition dealt with British Waterways. dogs, the boaters, who pay the most ing on a narrowboat? How do you land.” On energy: “... the aver- A key policy was: “NABO believes so that all the others can also enjoy the receive post? How green is living age medium gas-energy home that British Waterways should place facilities.” on a narrowboat really? How much user consumes 12,000 kWh of its obligations as a navigation au- Leeds & Liverpool proposed ex- does it cost to live on a narrowboat? energy each year .... which translates Narrowboat Life is thority at the top of its duty priorities tension, described as “one for the published by Bloomsbury How do you see a doctor? How do to about 860kg of LPG. On board Publishing at £20 and only conduct other commercial ‘it will never happen’ section?” This you use the internet? How do you we use gas for cooking, but not cen- activities as a means to further this edition announced that: “British hold down a job? tral heating, that over the years has ISBN: Paperback aim”. A laudable aim but there is still Waterways has now formally ap- In addition to being a graphic ranged between 42 and 48kg annu- a way to go in 2019! plied for planning permission to 978-1-4729-6365-9 designer and writer, the author is a ally. This is close to one-twentieth Ebook Cycling and angling identification extend the L&L canal by 3.5 miles professional photographer and the that of the average home gas user.” 978-1-4729-6364-2 NABO opposed organised cycling from Stanley Dock, Vauxhall, to the book is lavishly illustrated with hun- “When continuously cruising in events on the towpath, specifical- Pier Head and central and south dreds of images of the waterways, winter, we burn about 35 bags of coal ly on safety grounds, and suggested docks in Liverpool.” the boats that occupy them and ‘eve- to heat the boat, or just over 7,000 that cyclists (and also anglers) should This was only 15 years ago and in my ry nook and cranny’ of the interiors kWh of non-renewable energy. This display a number so that they could mind this extension is now a very of a selection of boats. The writing is ... fuel use that your average land- be identified in the event of an in- well established part of the inland style is relaxed and informal, making based home avoids completely, so, to cident. It did raise an interesting waterway network and seems to the book easy to ‘dip into’. But the some extent, counterbalances that question, however. Where to display have been with us for much longer. author is not shy of going into de- stupendously low use of LPG.” The If you have a book that the number? While still not perfect, it does show NABO News back issues tails. For example, when discussing book also has detailed breakdowns you would like to bring to NABO members’ Worried woman of the water- that progress can be made, so let’s are available online at; water and fuel consumption: “The of the costs of living afloat and much ways, a regular NN contributor, had keep plugging away at CRT to keep nabo.org.uk/index.php/ attention, please send main reason you do your utmost to more, so, all-in-all, it is also a valu- the Editor a review— concern about litter on the water, es- our waterways alive for future gen- reference/nabo-news- back-issues-2 preserve water, electricity and fuel able and attractive resource for the maximum 500 words. pecially in urban locations, but raised erations. on a boat is because they require 6% who already live on board. NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 28 29 Have Your Say Letters to the Editor

bin set at the far end of the bridge. Why not Letters to the Editor use a smaller, lighter flatbed style truck, such as Opinions expressed here are independent of NABO policy and those used for recycling collections? Or fit larger statements made have not been verified as true wheels to the rubbish bin so it could be wheeled over the bridge? Perhaps easiest of all, certainly for dustmen, the local council and CRT, would Adieu leave when their time is up, or riding their bikes be to position a rubbish bin on the opposite side in unsuitable parts of the theatre. But we remain of the canal at the foot of the bridge to one side We plan to sell our boat, with both of us now optimists.... “Nil illegitimis carborundum”, as (see image 2). The lane terminates in an empty ticking the 76-85 age group, so we will not be re- they say. So, perhaps for the final time, best wish- cul-de-sac, with very few people who pass this newing our NABO membership when it expires es to NABO ‘and all who sail in her’. way: boaters and a few train commuters crossing this summer. We would like to thank you for the John and Marion Pearse the bridge to their homes on the edge of town. opportunity to proof-read NABO News for sev- There is LOTS of space for a bin in the area in- eral editions. This has given us the chance to do dicated on the photo. In fact, there is probably something useful for NABO that is within our More boaters’ facilities lost room for two or three wheeled recycling bins. If competence and easy for the older generation, as CRT put some effort into this (partnering with well as providing an interesting preview of a very Until a few years ago, the boaters' services area in Hungerford Council), it could install a minimal- worthwhile magazine. Hungerford included an important and conven- ist recycling station that would be the envy of We shall continue to support waterway causes, ient rubbish point; a large wheeled bin set just the system and local councils, and hugely boost as we have since the early 1960s, by navvying behind the pump-out and Elsan building. With their green credentials. All it needs is a little im- and campaigning, or more recently by finan- little advanced notice, the rubbish point seemed agination, a modicum of energy and friendly cial contributions to restoration or preservation to disappear overnight. As a result, there is no negotiation with the local rubbish contractors. projects. We recall the leadership of people like dedicated rubbish point for boaters between Jim Batty David Hutchins and Robert Aickman, among Kintbury, West Berks and Great Bedwyn, Wilts. This is massively inconvenient for anyone who others. We are born optimists, and we believe Mike Rodd adds: I totally agree with this: I have that the waterways have an intrinsic ability to cruises at a slow, exploratory pace along this sec- been trying for the past six or seven years to get this survive against the odds (and the yobs), as his- tion of the Kennet & Avon Canal, as there are sorted. On the ‘Rose of Hungerford’ trip-boat we tory has proved, and against an uncaring or so many interesting and peaceful places to stop have to take the two bags of rubbish home after eve- ignorant officialdom in Whitehall and elsewhere. along the way between these two points, includ- ry trip—over 200 trips each year! I have discussed NABO members have one vital weapon, which ing: Avington Estate moorings below Wire Lock; this with the local Council, the CRT waterways will always help to convert the ignorant, namely grassy moorings below Dun Mill Lock; 14-day the whole review was undertaken on a false pre- director(s) and anyone else I can find to talk to; all tence. Having perpetrated this lie on every boat the ability to take the uninitiated on cruises to moorings to the east and west of Hungerford as to no avail. Nobody accepts responsibility. show the amazing charm of rural and (most) ur- well as the various 24- and 48-hour moorings in licence holder a year or so ago, CRT now wants us to forget all that and be their friends and sup- ban waterways. and near the town centre; any of the moorings Boaters’ report Having said that, we wonder if, for our genera- along and above the Froxfield flight of locks; and porters. tion at least, things are not the same as when a stretch of wilder but hugely enjoyable moor- So, in the May NABO News, we were told that This letter, of course, is being written in response we started. Our feelings are echoed in the two ings in and west of Little Bedwyn. If you wished CRT "would like boaters to become a Friend, to to the article about the new ‘Boater Report’ for articles by Mark Tizard in the May issue, the ear- to spend a couple of days to a couple of weeks at a volunteer, or to help spread the word about the 2018, itself pretty unimpressive. The Boater ly cruising restrictions, the contribution from number of these sites during transit, as we often value of the waterways." Well I would like CRT Report only demonstrates one thing for me; Kevin McNiff, Howard Anguish’s Rewind, and do, it means having to carry and deal with weeks’ to stop and reflect on that from my perspective. that someone in CRT has managed to cut and letters from Sue Merrett, and Peter Caswell. worth of rubbish. What tends to happen is that We were told that the boat licence review would paste from the annual report. I suggest that, far Altogether, it is another excellent read, if a bit boaters distribute bags of rubbish and waste be ‘revenue neutral’. Prompt payment discounts from being for boaters’ wellbeing and benefit, depressing. around the public bins of Hungerford—do-able have been at least halved, typically meaning li- the report is a bit of spin intended to try to per- Some years ago, a lady compared the finan- but obviously not ideal or convenient. cences have increased by £30-60 p.a. over and suade third parties, who know no better, how cial situation for boaters as being like a theatre The reason given for removal of the Hungerford above inflationary increases. That represents much CRT does for boaters! Like selling off the where the unpaid actors coughed up all the costs rubbish point was that new dust-cart/lorries somewhere around another £1.2 million a year British Waterways’ Marinas portfolio without themselves, while the audience was admitted for couldn’t cross the small bridge beside the ser- to CRT. That's cumulative of course, every year preserving public access to previously free gen- nothing. Nowadays, some of the ‘stagehands’ are vice point (see image 1). This has always struck you renew. Widebeam boaters presently face ad- eral boater facilities. Do you think CRT's boating also volunteers, and some of the audience behave me as an extremely lame excuse for cutting such ditional hikes relative to narrowboaters, starting team would really like to hear any more of this very badly, with little appreciation of their priv- an important service. It doesn’t seem to me that next April. So the ‘revenue neutral’ promise was boater's views and comments and suggestions? Simon Robbins ileged position; you know the sort, refusing to challenging to find a way of accessing a rubbish a blatant lie and consequently it could be said NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 30 31 Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor

First, Helen: Customer Service Advisor, Hayley Warrenger, Widebeam boats on the North Oxford I name this boat … “I write with regard to a misleading phrase which replied: I would not generally comment where complain- seems to have crept into CRT’s vocabulary—the “We use the phrase ‘boating season’ which de- If you have spotted a boat name that made ants have put something into the public domain, ‘boating season’. It appears quite a few times on scribes the season, typically between March and you smile, please let me have a photo to use in because I accept that people have the right to dis- your website and, most recently, in a press re- October, when the canals are busiest for boating future issues. Here’s one from Helen Hutt agree with my decisions. However, occasionally I lease about new fishing permits, which implies traffic on the canals. Generally, sections of most am quoted as saying something which I didn’t. In that anglers can fish where they like outside the of the canals will be closed between the months your recent NABO News article about the North boating season. Surely, there is actually no such of November and the end of February/start of Oxford Canal you stated that I had begun by thing as ‘the boating season’. I believe most boat March for essential maintenance. The towpaths suggesting that as widebeam boats had already owners buy an annual licence and many of those are open for use by walkers and cyclists (unless ventured onto the pound, it must be ‘suitable’ for boaters are continuous cruisers, using the water- closed for maintenance) year round, as are the them. I feel I must point out that I did not say ways all year round. That surely gives us the right canals and rivers for fishing (although there is a this. What I said in my report was that the ca- to moor on designated visitor moorings, with closed season between March and June for an- nal can physically accommodate them, which is absolute priority over anglers who, let’s be clear, gling on rivers and certain SSSIs). This phrase not the same as saying it is suitable for them. If have far more available canal and river bank to is by no means a way to discriminate against that were not the case then no widebeam boats fish from than we have to moor to! Even worse the other users of our network, and harks back could be there and there could be no basis for is the tendency to encourage, or at the very least to a time where the canals were typically used complaint. Not only did I not state that it was not deter, fishing from lock landings. I’m told predominantly by boat users. With regards to suitable for widebeam boats, but I did state that that, recently, some fishing taster days have been anglers, we do advise that fishing is not allowed; I pay for a 12-month licence and, apart from navi- CRT accepted that the canal was not suitable for on visitor moorings, which sends out the wrong in lock chambers, within 25 metres (one boat gational restrictions/stoppages during the winter widebeam boats. It may be a fairly small point, signal right from the start. So please, CRT, don’t length) of a lock approach, within 25 metres of months, I expect to have use of facilities, in- but I do think it is an important distinction. allow our licences to be squeezed by telling an- a water point, and within 25 metres of a swing cluding visitor moorings, the whole year round. Andrew Walker (Retired Waterway glers that, effectively, during part of the year we or lifting bridge. And that during the peak boat- Advertising visitor moorings to anglers during Ombudsman) don’t matter. My licence entitles me to boat all ing season it's a good idea to leave extra space at this period as ‘first come first served’ is plainly year; there is no mention of any season when the these locations as there may be boats queuing. wrong. I’ve nothing against anglers, but have you Kevin McNiff replied: I accept that Andrew has rules are different. I believe that visitor moorings You can find this information also on the link ever tried to shift them off a visitor mooring (or the same rights to disagree with what has been re- should be exclusively for boats, whatever the sea- canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/ indeed a lock landing) when you are approach- ported and raise it. I only wish that the Trust had son, particularly given that they occupy a minute fishing/angling-strategies/fishing-faqs#location. ing and needing to tie your boat up, especially if, used the published maximum dimensions to disal- proportion of the advertised 2,000 miles availa- We have recently allocated some visitor moor- like me, you are single-handed? I suspect not. All low the construction of the entrance to the marina ble for fishing. I’m all in favour of Share the Space ings for fishing, as part of the ‘Lets Fish!’ this does is lead to potential conflict and I believe which, even as a casual observer, can only be de- (a 2017 item on this, on the CRT website, also programme, which helps teach small children CRT’s directions to anglers should be ‘do not fish scribed as over-generous for narrow-beam vessels. refers to the ‘boating season’), but we all have to how to fish. As I’m sure you will understand, from lock landings etc, or from designated visitor Then the issue would not have come to pass. be reasonable about how big a share we take, and safety is paramount, and we have tried to allo- moorings’. They may well still ignore the rules, of when we take it.” cate visitor moorings where this will cause the course, but at least there would be absolute clar- Speeding cyclists (again) Charlotte Roberts, a CRT Customer Service least amount of disruption for boaters, allowing ity as to what the rules are. I’m fully in favour of Advisor, replied: I am moored on the Leeds & Liverpool between plenty of space for boats to moor also.” encouraging youngsters to engage with outdoor Helen’s reply: Plank Lane and Leigh and today there have been “I am sorry that you are unhappy by the use of pursuits, including fishing, and I understand the three separate times when I have nearly been run ‘boating season’. We use this as a reference for our “Dear Hayley, I have been a continuous cruiser safety issues you mention. But, unless you make over by speeding cyclists, travelling at around busier season when we have more boaters, tow- for the last 14 years, so I’m well aware of the con- it absolutely clear that these sessions are the ex- 35mph. A most disturbing incident was a man path users and fisherman on the waterways. By tent of your response. It’s good to hear that you ception, not the rule, it could send out the wrong travelling on the towpath on an electric scooter, using this term we are no way dismissing boaters don’t wish to discriminate against boaters, but message about the use of visitor moorings/lock again at around 35mph, nearly injuring an autis- who are continuous cruisers all year round or for you are missing the points that I was trying to landings for fishing. Please let me know you are tic child. I have registered a complaint with CRT. any other canal user.” make. You say you are not discriminating, but taking my concerns seriously and are prepared to Ken Hylins Helen replied: your PR/marketing material does not bear this do something about them.” “Thank you for your response. ‘Busy season’ out. Using the term ‘boating season’ is a mis-de- Yet another Customer Services Advisor, Natalie is a good and accurate description. I don’t see scription, implying that we don’t/shouldn’t boat Jones, replied: The ‘Boating Season’. mention anywhere of a towpath user season or in the winter, and I would urge you to stop using “Many thanks for your reply. a fishing season, or indeed a cycling season, so this phrase. The fact that is has been used histori- I will pass your feedback to the marketing team, NABO Council member, Helen Hutt had the fol- why use the phrase boating season? You haven’t cally is irrelevant; it’s not an accurate term to use who will take into consideration the points you lowing correspondence with CRT’s Customer addressed my point about anglers using visitor in current times. What is wrong with ‘the busy have kindly raised.” Service Team. moorings and lock landings.” season’? We’ll see! NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 NABO News Issue 4 July 2019 Compact and practical The New Website is now LIVE! Marine & Settler Chair Leisure Featuring a number of major improvements 105AH Battery

IN STORE ONLY

Only £39.90 Only £89

Washable element New range Fuel Guard Bilge Pumps Fuel Filter

 Guest Checkout  Check stock in store  Wish Lists  Powerful search engine  Address Book

New range of built in and portable fridges. Cruise & Portable Only £190 Fridges

New lighting range available online and in store. Low Voltage Lighting

The Big Clearance Sale Save £££’s today, in store & online.

PriceMatch Free UK Delivery If you find exactly the same product cheaper elsewhere, When you spend over £250 we will endeavour to match the price or even beat it.

Please be aware we can not guarantee we will be able to match or beat a price. Available in store & online. For our delivery terms Terms & conditions apply, please visit our website for more information. & conditions please visit our website.

All prices advertised are correct Shop over 5,000 products online at time of print and include VAT. www.midlandchandlers.co.uk   

NABO News Copy Date Treasurer London Waterways Helen Hutt David Williams 4 Editorial Articles, Letters, Cartoons and Photos Are Most Wel­Come

NABO News Copy Date Treasurer London Waterways Helen Hutt David Williams 4 Editorial Articles, Letters, Cartoons and Photos Are Most WelCome