Richard Fairhurst

You could always subscribe. Or alternatively, I usually leave a copy in the Rose & Crown in Charlbury, a much nicer atmosphere than Smiths.

This last one is known over on Usenet as "the lurkers support me on e-mail". It's one of two tacit admissions that someone has lost the argument (the other one is, of course, Godwin's Law).

The Framework Document's fairly well-known and I'm surprised that anyone looking into the background of such things wasn't aware of it. What I am interested in, however, is finding where and when DETR/DEFRA instructed BW to become "largely self-sufficient". I haven't yet found any such instruction.

I questioned the Waterways Minister on Thursday and he gave no sign of a U-turn. He did, however, claim there was no chance of any protracted closures as happened in the early '80s with Blisworth, Harecastle etc. Whether this is borne out at Netherton remains to be seen.

Max dimensions on the Ribble Link are a bit complex. There's a useful table in the BW craft dimensions paper on Waterscape.

South West Durham Steelcraft has gone into liquidation, as has been published in the local press (and will be in February WW). I've not heard of any others. Border Boats - yes, had heard/noticed last autumn.

Yes, it comes 'live' from the same database as the webpages. The other PDF is simply the copy that BW sends to the printers back in September, so misses out on any amendments.

http://www.waterscape.com/images/bw_stoppa...nal_no_maps.pdf is the planned stoppage program http://www.waterscape.com/pdf/stoppages.php is the latest situation Have you tried actually contacting Waterscape? feedback@waterscape.com will usually get you the very helpful Kirsty.

I think you've missed the latter half of the sentence, though: "differentiated rates of taxation may be applied by Member States, under fiscal control, in the following cases". In other words, the UK is allowed to charge differentiated rates (one rate for road use, one rate for canal use) only in the four circumstances that follow. The only one of those four that might qualify, as you point out, is the product quality. But the problem there is that, if the UK starts to differentiate by product quality rather than by intended use, you'll get several million motorists filling up their cars with red diesel - and hang the side-effects.

I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the posting above. As I read it (and I may be wrong), it does need to be taxed at road rates. See the Article 5 excerpt.

http://www.managenergy.net/products/R538.htm (In case you're having difficulty sleeping...)

Unless I've misunderstood, the tax levied has to be brought into line with other UK levels, not with EU levels. The relevant text is Council Directive 2003/96/EU: i.e. the UK is only allowed to charge differing rates for diesel where justified by the above four points (except where a derogation applies). Private pleasure craft don't qualify as any of the four unless you maintain that red diesel is significantly lower quality. The Directive also seems to imply that hire craft will be subject to the full rate, too ('"private pleasure craft" shall mean any craft used by its owner or the natural or legal person who enjoys its use either through hire or through any other means'). But I may have misunderstood - it's not exactly the clearest English and I'm no lawyer.

Sorry, I don't follow you. My heating diesel goes in at one end of the boat. My propulsion diesel goes in at the other. One of them is a tank connected to the stove, the other a tank connected to the engine. Because the tax on white diesel (and petrol) is the nearest to a hypothecated tax we have. Petrol/white diesel taxes (very very roughly speaking) pay for the upkeep of the roads. No it's not a direct correlation, but if the EU suddenly ruled that it was illegal to put tax on any fuel whatsoever, you can bet the UK government would instantly increase the road fund licence (='road tax') to compensate. I'm with you there, though I'm sure it will make some difference. My main concern is that it'll penalise the people with £20,000 boats who cruise lots of the system, but not have much effect on those who have a £150,000 shiny boat which rarely ventures out of the marina. The diversity of the waterways is to be cherished, and this is another nail in its coffin.

Just received from BMF:

You can see a list of the directors in their annual accounts: http://www.britishwaterways.co.uk/images/B...06_Accounts.pdf (honestly, some of you guys should try Google once in a while). James Froomberg is BW's Commercial Director; Ian White used to be their NE director. Alan Thake I think works for BW. Cornel Howells is BWB secretary (obviously not a director's role). FWIW, I'm pretty sure there's a little plaque on the entrance to Willow Grange which says "Registered Office, British Waterways Marinas Ltd". It's not like they're hiding anything. Spot on. From my experience when Waterscape Ltd was constituted as a separate company (a ridiculous situation, but that's another story), BWML will pay the salaries itself but through the BW accounts system ("Shared Services", based in Leeds). BWML will then pay a monthly fee for services such as this. If you believe that Shared Services is an effective way of paying salaries, something on which I have my doubts, it's quite a sensible and above-board way of doing it.

Definitely "honi". Strictly speaking it's Old French rather than the modern language.

Honi soit qui mal y pense is French.

1. Go to waterscape.com 2. Click on 'boating' (obviously) 3. Click on 'Useful downloads - moorings and licences' and it's all there. Alternatively you could try Google... searching for "British Waterways licence fees" turns up the relevant page right at the top of the list. Both BW sites (bw.co.uk and waterscape.com) are currently hosted by Positive Internet and developed in-house, I believe.

Basic Boat Liability Company, http://www.basic-boat.com/ . Website doesn't tell you much though.

Would Aldermaston Swing Bridge (or maybe Wrenbury) do...?