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Canal & River Trust’s English waterways to reopen for navigation in three phases


Ray T

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PRESS RELEASE

 

13 May 2020  

 

Canal & River Trust’s English waterways to reopen for navigation in three phases

 

In line with the latest government advice issued today, 13 May 2020, the Trust is able to announce the phased reopening of navigation to private boating across its waterways in England.

 

From today, Weds 13 May 2020
Private boaters may undertake short boating trips – avoiding use of locks and any staff-operated structures if possible – providing, as per current government guidance, they do not stay away from home overnight and return to their home mooring (where they have one).

From Saturday, 23 May:
Mooring exemptions will come to an end and the Trust’s guidance for continuous cruisers comes back in to force. This doesn’t mean that every boat without a home mooring needs to move on this day, just that the Trust expects it to move off its current mooring within 14 days (i.e. by 6 June).  Boaters in a high-risk group who need to continue to shield or self-isolate can agree special arrangements with their licence support officer if they haven’t already done so.

From Monday, 1 June:
On this date, the Trust anticipates that its navigations will re-open in full, subject to some local exceptions, making longer journeys possible.


According to current Government guidance, those who do not liveaboard should not stay overnight. The Trust is seeking further clarification as to whether overnight stays will be permissible once full navigation resumes.

Richard Parry, chief executive of the Canal & River Trust, comments: “I am delighted that government has enabled us to announce plans to start to get boating back to normal across English waterways.  We ask customers to make just short, local trips from today, with full navigation restored from 1 June, as it will take time to get the entire network fully operational, and booking for some passages and services will be required. Some sections may be closed for a longer period and our website will be kept up to date with the latest information and advice.  Please remember that social distancing continues to be maintained, with only members of your household able to go aboard your boat until further notice.”


Wales: boats on Welsh canals must follow the latest advice which may be different from above.

ENDS

 

For further media requests please contact:

Jonathan Ludford, national communications manager

m 07747 897783 e jonathan.ludford@canalrivertrust.org.uk

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Opening of the CRT navigations set for June 1st, which barring a second rush of Covid 19 infections, looks to be a significant day in the progress of getting boats back on the canal.

 

It is very encouraging 

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6 hours ago, Heartland said:

Opening of the CRT navigations set for June 1st, which barring a second rush of Covid 19 infections, looks to be a significant day in the progress of getting boats back on the canal.

 

It is very encouraging 

The big but for leisure boating thought is no staying on boats overnight.  That for most I would say is a significant limiting factor.

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25 minutes ago, dor said:

I suspect they want to "get the navigation open" to avoid having to offer another month's licence rebate.

 

Considering CRT didn't have to offer a free month in the first place, what makes you think they would have had to offer another one?

 

It was a nice gesture to boating customers that cost them a couple of million quid, not something they were forced into.

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1 hour ago, dor said:

I suspect they want to "get the navigation open" to avoid having to offer another month's licence rebate.

Be thankful that you got a fee month, if you have a gold licence you got nothing.

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They opened the golf course behind us yesterday. Flurry of smiling golfers..... today .... none. Walkers continue to sunbath on the  greens!

Edited by mark99
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On 14/05/2020 at 13:47, john6767 said:

Be thankful that you got a fee month, if you have a gold licence you got nothing.

I'm sure he'll make a donation towards emergency repairs/essential repairs/ongoing maintenance,etc,etc, that other people have been paying. ?

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3 hours ago, mark99 said:

They opened the golf course behind us yesterday. Flurry of smiling golfers..... today .... none. Walkers continue to sunbath on the  greens!

There is a golf course not a million miles from me on a common where the public have access. During the lockdown some were going there and sunbathing. The didn't bargen on the groundsman having a radio controlled sprinkler system

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There is a factor, with Covid 19, and that is there are areas where it is concentrated, and others where it is not. It should be a consideration to be noted by CRT and the other waterways owners. We have had the CRT notice, but what about other operators like the Manchester Ship Canal, whose Bridgewater Canal Canal, according to the Manchester mayor, has still called for Covid restrictions to be retained.

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3 hours ago, Heartland said:

There is a factor, with Covid 19, and that is there are areas where it is concentrated, and others where it is not. It should be a consideration to be noted by CRT and the other waterways owners. We have had the CRT notice, but what about other operators like the Manchester Ship Canal, whose Bridgewater Canal Canal, according to the Manchester mayor, has still called for Covid restrictions to be retained.

 

Odd that.  The covid-19 restrictions for the Bridgewater are:

 

we have not specifically prohibited people from accessing their boats but have always requested that customers adhere to the guidelines and social distancing measures. The canal and Bridgewater Way/towpath remain open, as do all Bridgewater Canal Company facilities.

 

http://www.bridgewatercanal.co.uk/news/article.aspx?ID=288

 

So they are presumably asking Burnham (the Mayor) not to make them shut!

 

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