Canal & River Trust surveys boaters' views

[Ray T]

PRESS RELEASE

8 April 2019  

 

CANAL & RIVER TRUST SURVEYS BOATERS’ VIEWS

 

The Canal & River Trust is introducing a new monthly survey to get boaters’ up-to-date feedback on the waterways they cruise.  The Waterway Experience survey will enable the charity to react quickly to improve boaters’ experience.

 

Following feedback from the boating community, the Trust is also slimming down its annual Perceptions of the Trust survey – previously known as the Boat Owners’ Views survey – to focus on what people know, and how they feel, about the charity.  The survey will run throughout April.

 

Jon Horsfall, head of customer services at Canal & River Trust, said: “By sending out a new, separate, Waterway Experience survey monthly, we’ll be able to get a much clearer picture of what’s affecting boaters as it happens.  It will enable us to be more responsive and target our maintenance and repair work on the areas that really need it throughout the year.  Boaters are the eyes and ears of the waterways and are often the first to come across any problems. 

 

“The old Boat Owners’ Views survey gave us loads of really useful information, but the feedback we received was that the sheer length of the document put people off completing it.  We hope that the shorter Perceptions survey will encourage more people to share their thoughts and feelings, so we can get a good sense of how we, as a charity, are doing.

 

“We want to make your experience on the water a relaxing and enjoyable one, and your feedback is invaluable – please take the time to take part in these surveys.”

 

The Perceptions survey will be sent out to a third of the Trust’s leisure boat licence holders at the start of April and will run until 30 April.  Boaters will be sent a link to the survey by email, text, or post.

 

The Waterway Experience survey will be launched in May.  It will be sent to a sample of boaters sighted on each waterway region every month.  Volunteer lock keepers will give out postcards with survey details to hire boaters at various key sites.

 

Boaters can get in touch with the Trust by filling out a webform, calling 0303 040 4040, tweeting @CRTcontactus or getting involved in a local user forum.

 

-ends-

 

 

Fran Read

National Press Officer

I work Monday, and Wednesday to Friday. For out-of-hours press enquiries call 0203 204 4514.

 

[Heartland]

Has CRT a text address for such problems, like the British Transport Police has for related railways issues?