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23 July 2014 CHANGES TO CENTRAL LONDON VISITOR MOORINGS The Canal & River Trust is making changes to four visitor mooring sites in central London to help make sure the limited space is shared fairly between visiting boats and those who make the capital their home. The plan, which is being put in place in August, was worked on with the Better Relationship Group and benefits from feedback from boaters. The Trust looked at four sites that are popular with visitors and locals, and can get busy: Victoria Park, Broadway Market, Little Venice and Kensal Green. In recent months the Trust has also looked at visitor moorings at Islington and in Paddington Basin. In Victoria Park, half the moorings at the site will remain at 14 days while half will change to 7 days, following feedback from boaters who felt reducing the whole length to 7 days was not necessary in the area. With excellent tube connections at Mile End, the seven day stretch will benefit visiting boats who want a base to explore London. In Broadway Market the Trust will create a new 7-day mooring site of approximately three berths. The area has become a popular tourist destination, with a thriving bar and restaurant scene as well as the Saturday market, and is within easy reach of Shoreditch and the City. In Little Venice the eastern half of the visitor moorings (those closest to the Trusts Little Venice office) will be 7 days while the western half will be 14 days. Little Venice is a beautiful spot and is a fantastic gateway to central London. The Trust had also proposed reducing the stay times of two visitor mooring berths at Kensal Green, but the view from the Better Relationship Group and boaters was that the site wasnt enough of a visitor hotspot to justify the changes. Following this advice, the whole stretch will remain a 14-day visitor mooring. The Trust will be updating the signage at all the sites, including details of the stay times, a clear description of the location and the post-code and grid reference in case of emergencies. We are also investigating the options for rolling out the Volunteer Caretaker Boater scheme and providing a reserved berth at each visitor mooring to help manage the sites and provide information and advice to boaters. Sorwar Ahmed, London boater liaison manager at Canal & River Trust, said: Anyone whos been boating in London recently will have experienced first-hand just how much busier its become. While space at visitor moorings and on the towpath is often available, boaters tell us that they have difficulty finding space to moor, and some people avoid the capital completely because of the congestion. While well never be able to solve all these problems the waterways are, after all, a finite space I hope these changes will make it easier for more boaters to moor up at some of our most popular spots. Im grateful to the help and advice weve received from the Better Relationship Group and other boaters whose feedback has shaped the plans. The plans were developed with the Better Relationships Group, which was set up with boating groups to help improve communications and engage boaters, in particular, in developing local policy. Once the plans were drafted, the Trust emailed a survey to boaters in London asking for views, and hosted a number of pop-up towpath meetings to discuss the proposed changes. The feedback has been incorporated into the final plans. More information on the consultation can be found here: http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/consultations/completed-consultations. ENDS

For Info http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/boating/mooring/south-east-visitor-moorings/stoke-bruerne-visitor-moorings Map is here Terms and Conditions are here RLWP - Tried to put appropriate tags - welcome any feedback. ETA - T&Cs and Map

There is quite a furore going on at the moment. No, not the old chestnut about the pros and cons of cassette over pump-out toilet system. That argument was settled a long time ago. The overwhelming evidence points to a macerator pump out as being the best option. The updated version of 'bucket and chuck it' that is a cassette is so old school and has been consigned to canal history. However, in this instance the furore is one that has been fabricated about people overstaying on visitor moorings. Now I am a bit philosophical. I don't make the common assumption that everyone on a visitor mooring has overstayed. I have no idea at all if that is the case on arrival. Because we are out on our boat and away from our home territory. Unless I want to overstay on a mooring to monitor the comings and goings which would defeat the object. There is no way that I am going to actually know. So I make the assumption that it was just a bit of bad luck and I can either move on or ask someone if I can breast up to their boat. With the best will in the world, there are other problems that need to be sorted out first. How many times have you come to a mooring to find boats not sharing mooring rings. This poor practice is leaving what was described as 'privacy gaps'. There is this notion bandied about of being a 'considerate' boater. But I have had boaters on visitor moorings refuse to move their boats closer and close up the 'privacy gap' to allow me enough space to moor. I have had people refuse to let me breast up when I have asked. In that instance, I don't have an axe to grind. Some people just do not like people walking across their front or back decks. So what will the Canal and River Trust do to educate boaters on a more friendly etiquette. If boats around me move on and my boat becomes isolated in a gap, I will move the boat to make a single larger space. I will always share a ring. I offer to let other boats breast up alongside. I get taken up on the offer, about 50% of the time. But I don't wait to be asked I always offer. Here the angler dry's his keepnet on the no fishing notice. Yet at the same time there is another huge elephant in the room that I have come across many many times. But not only on visitor moorings, but on lock landings and water points. I have been greeted with shouts and arm waving, I have had threats to break my boat windows and other kinds of abuse such as maggots and ground-bait thrown at the boat. I don't see or know of any meaningful consultation taking place to address the issue. I don't see any suggestions such as on the spot £25 fines being levied against the miscreants. In this case the whole of a landing can be 'off limits' to boaters from early morning to late in the evening. A second angler dry's his net. This huge elephant is totally ignored by the Canal and River Trust. There is none so blind as those that will not see. The reason for this 'wilful blindness' is because your boat has a name and number. You can hardly pick up your boat and walk away. Fishermen can pack up their tackle and move on in no time at all. In other words boat owners are a soft and easy target. A rich source of incidental pickings for fines and charges. Canal and River Trust North East Head Quarters Fearns Wharf Neptune Street Leeds So by way of example, the two fishermen in my example above are located on a river pontoon. The pontoon is clearly marked - No Fishing - and is located outside the offices of the Canal and River Trust at Fearns Wharf Leeds. A place where CaRT staff are walking by all day long. No enforcement here - well not unless you overstay on the pontoon. That'll be £25 please, kerching!

Are there any 24 hr visitor moorings in Little Venice ? am thinking of where the roundabout is where the paddington arm branches off. 14 Skipper