I have read all of the replies with interest.
Having previously lived on a NB my wife and I were planning to return to the canals to see out our retirement.
This decision by the Government/DEFRA has made us decide not to return to the water.
All current boaters will have seen the decline of the canal infrastructure over the years. Whilst this should not be a surprise as the network is hundreds of years old, it demonstrates that the investment needed is simply not there.
The CRT appear to be in crisis management mode. Many believe this is due to poor leadership, however, I believe if the funding was available the trust would move from crisis mode to planned maintenance. An example of this would be culvert repair. The CRT will admit they react to failure of culverts rather than planned maintenance , this is simply down to lack of funds.
Charity- Relying on charitable donations to fund the canals is fickle at best. When the public have financial worries in their own life the first thing they review is where they spend their money.
Licence fees - licensing costs could and probably will rise. However, they have to be palatable to the boating community, it could be done by stealth with year on year increases but eventually many will say it’s simply not worth paying. Targeting current boaters who do not pay will make every genuine boater feel better but will not make a dent in the funding shortfall.
Honey pot Moorings - This has already been implemented in some areas. I can see this increasing as a way to get the many towns and villages along the network to contribute to the upkeep of their stretch. In return premiums may be needed to be payed by boaters to moor in these areas. I believe this will lead to a fragmented network with the average boater being forced into the margins, in particular the CC’s.
The Public - For many who use the canal network for recreational purposes the disappearance of boats would be unthinkable, for others (paddleboarding, fishing etc) it would not.
Developing the canal for multiple recreational activities/commuting corridors is already the aim of the CRT. Much is made about that there are more registered boats now than at the height of the working era, but there is one big difference.
When the canals were use for commercial reasons all of the boats would have been out using the network to maximise profit for the carriers. It was in their interest to keep the system working. Nowadays most of the boats spend most of the year moored or in a Marina with little movement, this can add to maintenance complacency. To my mind if a boat’s not being used to cruise it’s a shame.
The Future - The future is simple, it needs a commitment, a commitment from government. The government need to be persuaded that the canals are an important/vital assett for many of the reasons contained within this thread. Unfortunately the current government is in crisis management. Sadly I do not believe a change in government will result in a turn in fortune for the canals. Privatisation seems to be the name of the game for modern politics. If investors are found to part with money to fund the canals they will want their pound of flesh. This will be to the detriment of the average boater.
With the creation of the CRT the government effectively offloaded their responsibility for the network. The CRT were handed a poisoned chalice, this was the start of the managed decline.
Without a perceived need for the network from government there will be no more money.
The Public - As has been mentioned throughout this thread the public need to convince the government of this need, how this is to be achieved I don’t know.
We live in a world of navel gazing with with the majority of people living their life through the narrow view of their social media.
Put a video of the plight of the canals against one of a cat dancing on YouTube and which will receive the most views.
The canals have been around for hundreds of years and are only around today due to the hard work of the activists once the canals reached the end of their commercial life.
A public with a short attention span and a government without a plan or vision will lead I fear to a continued decline of the network.
It saddens me to think this.
