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C & R T publishes its 2019/20 Annual Report and hosts 2020 Annual Public Meeting online


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PRESS RELEASE

 

13th October 2020

 

Canal & River Trust publishes its 2019/20 Annual Report and hosts 2020 Annual Public Meeting online

 

Canal & River Trust has today (13 October) published its 2019/20 Annual Report & Accounts alongside details of how to view and take part in its Annual Public Meeting being held online on 28 October.

 

The Annual Report & Accounts chart a year when income, volunteering, and spend on the Trust’s charitable activities grew to record levels and a period that also saw extreme weather events contribute to widespread infrastructure damage, including the emergency at Toddbrook Reservoir, and the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

 

The Trust’s income increased by £6.1 million in 2019/20 to £216.1 million and spend on charitable activities increased by £10.9 million, with underlying expenditure on core maintenance, repairs and infrastructure works continuing to grow.

 

The implications of the coronavirus pandemic for the Trust, including the furloughing of staff, impact on community activities, volunteering and day-to-day operations, as well as the important role the waterways played during lockdown when the towpaths demonstrated their value in providing accessible green and blue space for local people, are examined in the Report.

 

The Report acknowledges that, whilst the Trust’s income and investments will be affected by the pandemic, the full economic impact of the crisis is not yet fully known.  As the Trust prioritises spend on winter works in the months ahead, with a full maintenance and repair programme, it has indicated a likely loss of income in the current year of around 10%.

 

Whilst boating was put on hold for most during the initial stages of lockdown, the Report does highlight a small growth in boat numbers and income from boating and moorings remaining at just under 20% of income in 2019/20.

 

Richard Parry, chief executive at the Canal & River Trust, comments: “The Trust is now eight years old and a lot has been achieved in that time, including rising income, increased expenditure on our waterways and growing numbers of supporters and volunteers.

 

“However this year has been a reminder of the scale of the Trust’s core responsibility, with a series of extreme weather events contributing to widespread infrastructure damage and the important role our waterways play within society, both as a network for boating, but also as vital green and blue corridors in our towns and cities offering on-the-doorstep health and wellbeing benefits to millions of people.”

 

Allan Leighton, chair of the Canal & River Trust, comments: “I’d once again like to thank colleagues, partners, funders, volunteers and friends for their support this year.  Whilst coronavirus control measures continue in 2020/21 and there is uncertainty around the future, we know that the foundation we have laid gives us a strong platform from which to make progress as we see such a vital part of our nation’s industrial history take on a new purpose, to make lives better by water. Our role as a Trust dedicated to improving the lives of millions of local people, offering a ‘Natural Health Service’ for the huge urban populations with canals on their doorstep, is now widely recognised, as well as connecting people to the beautiful countryside our network runs through. 

 

“More than ever, the events of the past year illustrate how resolute the Trust’s commitment to caring for the waterways network has to be, and the scale and range of risks this presents – and our future plans will depend upon sustaining the income we need to ensure that work can be expanded.”

 

To view the Annual Report & Accounts visit: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/annual-report-and-accounts

 

This year the Trust’s Annual Public Meeting will be hosted online with people able to view and submit questions to the Trust’s chief executive and chair.  Go to the Canal & River Trust website where the meeting will start at 11am on Wednesday 28 October.

 

ENDS

 

For further information contact Jonathan Ludford on 07747 897783 or email  jonathan.ludford@canalrivertrust.org.uk

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Just a minor question and not wanting to disrupt further comments on the report (too much).

 

Does anyone know, when CRT say they have replaced X number of lock gates this year, does a wide (or even a single lock with two gates at one end) count as two gates replaced or one gate?

 

 

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Interesting that C&RTs new method of counting now involves counting every person twice (going and coming back), but hey-ho it makes the numbers look better.

 

Towpaths Number of towpath visitors (based on annual survey data) Number of visits and visitors for the year ended 31 March 2020. This is based on a survey of members of the public, expressed in millions.

 

Total visits 677m* (2019: 349m) Average visitors during a two week period 9.2m (2019: 4.1m)

 

Number and duration of unplanned towpath closures Defined as unplanned closures that are caused by asset or infrastructure failure for the year ended 31 March 2020.

Number of closures 20 (2019: 17) Number of closure days 347 (2019: 262)

 

*2019/20 saw a change in our measurement methodology – to reflect more accurately visitors to our network.

 

(Shame that the lack of maintenance in infrastructure resulted in an increase of 32% days when the towpath was closed - it is perhaps more telling that C&RT don't report on the number of day lost due to unplanned  closures of the actual navigation).

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17 minutes ago, StationMaster said:

Just a minor question and not wanting to disrupt further comments on the report (too much).

 

Does anyone know, when CRT say they have replaced X number of lock gates this year, does a wide (or even a single lock with two gates at one end) count as two gates replaced or one gate?

 

I have always assumed that gates are gates. So when a pair of gates is replaced that counts as two gates. I don't really see how it can mean anything else.

 

Gates vary in size, and so the amount of naterial used in each gate will vary, but the amount of work required to manufacture and install a gate won't vary so much. Comparing a single gate on a narrow lock with the equivalent paired gates, the latter has twice as many main structural members, twice as many joints to be made and fitted, each gate has to be installed individually, and then the meeting faces at the mitre trimmed to get a good fit. Around twice as much work for the pair of gates, and so right to record it that way.

Edited by David Mack
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5 minutes ago, David Mack said:

 

I have always assumed that gates are gates. So when a pair of gates is replaced that counts as two gates. I don't really see how it can mean anything else.

You would think so, but I've learnt that assumption sometimes makes an ass out of me... ? It wouldn't be the first time figures were manipulated to look good for the publisher.

I don't know the answer though so I'll not comment further unless someone does know the answer.

Edited by Guest
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Some rather creative accounting?

Perhaps counting the number of people on a mile of a popular canal on a sunny Sunday for four hours and multiplying by the miles of canals and rivers.

There are lies,damned lies,and statistics!

Edited by Mad Harold
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50 minutes ago, wandering snail said:

677milion towpath visits for the year, ie 10 for every man, woman and child over the whole of the UK?? You couldn't make it up, aah, they have!

 

39 minutes ago, Mad Harold said:

Some rather creative accounting?

Perhaps counting the number of people on a mile of a popular canal on a sunny Sunday for four hours and multiplying by the miles of canals and rivers.

There are lies,damned lies,and statistics!

 

It is quite simple.

Up until this year C&RT paid an agency to conduct a telephone &/or face to face street survey 1000 people to identify how many people 'used' a canal each day / week / year.

The questions were as follows (this is the sheet the questioner used)

 

 

Q1 Firstly, I am going to read out some activities that you may have taken part in recently. For each one, can you tell me whether you personally have taken part in this activity in Britain within the past two weeks? So firstly, have you……[rotate activity list]…. on a stretch of inland water which is used by boats, for example a canal, river or lake.
1. Been on a boat with an engine
2. Been on a boat without an engine? Please
3. include activities such as canoeing, rowing boats and sailing boats
4. Been fishing
5. Been cycling
6. Walked a dog
7. Visited a specific attraction, heritage attraction or museum
8. Taken a walk or a ramble for leisure
9. Taken a run or jog for leisure
10. Used or walked along only in order to get somewhere else? For example, to get to work or to go shopping
11. Bought food or drink in a pub
12. Just sat or stood by the water as a break in the day to relax (always penultimate activity)
13. Used or visited for some other purpose? (SPECIFY)

Q2. [For each activity at Q1] On how many days in the past two weeks have you personally……[read out activity]….on a stretch of inland water used by boats, for example, a river, canal or lake in Britain?
WRITE IN NUMBER OF DAYS BETWEEN 1 AND 14.

Q3. [For each activity at Q1] And thinking about the last day you have……[read out activity]….which river, canal or lake did you do this on?
RECORD ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:
a) Name of Waterway (if known):
b) Nearest Town / Village:
c) Name of County:

 

The answers (numbers) were multiplied by the UK population to extrapolate the totals, so if 50% of 'the thousand' said they had used a towpath in that week, then it was extrapolated to say that 50% of the UK population had used a towpath.

 

The 'increase' in usage of the towpaths is a KPI (key performance Indicator) which C&RT must report on to DEFRA.

The figures had got so big 300,000,000 that the existing system could not identify any more, so the counting system was changed, and, as we have seen, the 'new system' means that last years visits was up by almost double to 677,000,000

 

C&RT went out to tender last year for a new company to generate a new system and implement it - I don't know what the new system is.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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1 hour ago, David Mack said:

 

I have always assumed that gates are gates. So when a pair of gates is replaced that counts as two gates. I don't really see how it can mean anything else

 

Yes, this is correct.  They call them leaves rather than gates, but that's how they count them according to the chap at Bradley workshops when I got a tour last year.

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3 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Yes, this is correct.  They call them leaves rather than gates, but that's how they count them according to the chap at Bradley workshops when I got a tour last year.

Not convinced CRT use the same terminology. Just gone through stoppages from now until March on the GU, K&A, LLangollen, Leeds & Liverpool, Trent & Mersey, Shropshire Union. Can't make planned gate replacements above 30. Think I'm missing something.

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  • 3 weeks later...

PRESS RELEASE

 

28th October 2020  

 

CANAL & RIVER TRUST PUBLISHES BOATER REPORT 2020

 

The Canal & River Trust has published its Boater Report 2020 for its 34,500 leisure licence holders.  The Report sets out how the Trust generates its income, including the contribution from boaters, and how that money is invested in the network.

 

The Report will be provided as an emailable PDF which will be included with licence renewals and new boat licence applications.  A small number of printed copies will be available for those boaters without email.  A pocket-sized fold-out containing all the key information will be available as handouts for volunteer lock keepers to give to boaters.

 

It details how income increased by £6.1 million in 2019/20 to £216.1 million and spend on charitable activities increased by £10.9 million, largely due to the emergency repair works at Toddbrook Reservoir.  Underlying expenditure on core maintenance, repairs and infrastructure works continued to grow, including £8.2 million spent on dredging (2018/19: £7.2 million) and £7.9 million spent on vegetation management (2018/19: £7.6 million).

 

This year the Report contains profiles of twelve colleagues and volunteers, so boaters can get a sense of the wide range of jobs carried out across the Trust to help keep the waterways safe and open for cruising, and ensure boaters’ needs are met. 

 

Jon Horsfall, head of customer service support at the Canal & River Trust, comments: “The Trust’s core purpose is maintaining the 2,000 miles of canals and rivers we look after and making the experience of using them as good as we can.  Boaters play a central role in helping to fund the work with around 10% of our income coming from boat licences.  The Report is designed to give licence holders an overview of how much it costs to maintain the waterways, where the Trust’s money comes from and where it gets spent.

 

“In what has been a difficult year for everyone, we have worked hard to keep the waterways open within the Government’s coronavirus guidelines.  We appreciate the impact this has had on boaters and have offered concessions on licence fees, and specific additional support for boaters and businesses with additional needs.

 

“It has also made us appreciate even more the vast range of skills held by our colleagues and volunteers whose efforts are vital to the safe operation of our canals and rivers.  Without them, and their tireless work, during lockdown and beyond, we would not have a navigable waterway network.  This Report celebrates just a few of these roles.  Boaters’ feedback is important to us, with positive comments as welcome as constructive criticism, and we’d urge boaters to let us know when they’re happy with the service they’ve received from the Trust.  Meanwhile we’ll continue working to make sure the waterways are open for boaters to cruise for years to come.”

 

The Boater Report can be viewed here:  https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/boaterreports

 

-ends-

 

For further media requests please contact:

Fran Read, Canal & River Trust

m 07796 610427 e fran.read@canalrivertrust.org.uk 

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Waste lots of public money,tell enough lies and YOU TOO can make yourself look good!?

They did the count of the amount of people using the towpath during "lockdown"..When the rest of the country was deserted,they let 1000's of people (and still are) use pathways that are less than 1m wide in many places,when we are STILL being told to KEEP 2M APART!!.

Looking after our health and well being my arse.

 

 

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On 13/10/2020 at 14:18, StationMaster said:

You would think so, but I've learnt that assumption sometimes makes an ass out of me... ? It wouldn't be the first time figures were manipulated to look good for the publisher.

 

I don't know the answer though so I'll not comment further unless someone does know the answer.

 

Counting each single gate as a gate would be the best way of "spinning" it anyway!

 

8 minutes ago, Leggers do it lying down said:

Waste lots of public money,tell enough lies and YOU TOO can make yourself look good!?

They did the count of the amount of people using the towpath during "lockdown"..When the rest of the country was deserted,they let 1000's of people (and still are) use pathways that are less than 1m wide in many places,when we are STILL being told to KEEP 2M APART!!.

Looking after our health and well being my arse.

 

 

 

The glass half empty brigade is alive and kicking, I see.

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3 minutes ago, Machpoint005 said:

 

Counting each single gate as a gate would be the best way of "spinning" it anyway!

 

 

The glass half empty brigade is alive and kicking, I see.

Nope,just a boater expressing his opinion on a topic in a boaters forum!??

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I find it a little odd that C&RT 'report and attribute' the costs of repairs and actions following the Toddbrook Reservoir incident as "Charitable Activities". Presumambly the many millions that continue to be invested in that reservoir, and the others, will all be shown as an increase in 'Charitable activity' by the trust.

 

Just strikes me as being a bit misleading as to what is spent how & where.

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I appreciate crt have a difficult job trying to cope with a system that has been neglected for so many years...However,in my own experience i have seen little or no engagement with boaters (paying customers). The majority of "boater engagement " seems to be via the courts.

It is easy to see straight through their corporate "blurb" on so many occasions.

From their report:We are custodians of these waterways and want to ensure these canals and rivers are open and accessible for everyone to enjoy and benefit from both now and for the long-term future.

From their "proposed" change in licence terms and conditions:"D.1 The Licence fee grants permission for the licensed boat to be present on Trust owned or managed Waterways. The Licence is not a guarantee of access or availability of the waterway. Refunds of Licence fees will not be made for closures as described in this Condition D.

 

So is my glass supposed to be half full because they are keeping the waterways "open and accessible for everyone to enjoy and benefit from"?....

Or half empty,because I pay my licence fee and they don't want to guarantee me access?......

:banghead:

 

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