Matthew Parris Piece (Times Newspaper)

[Tam & Di]

Matthew Parris in Wednesday's Times writes of an evening's walk along 7 miles of the Regents Canal from Limehouse Basin and comments on the excessive polution from live-aboard boats lining both banks. He mentions 'smokeless' coal-fired stoves, generators left idling and engines running. He compares the smell with walking up a road with lorries running their engine. He says it is mitigated to some small extent by boats with small solar panels or wind turbines, but his article argues predominantly that it is not acceptable and better means of heating and lighting must be found.

 

Tam

[blackrose]

Perhaps Mr Parris should try living on a boat in winter without any onboard fossil fuel derived heating?

 

The thing is, it wasn't a problem 20 or 30 years ago when London wasn't crammed full of liveaboard boats. It's just another symptom of the housing crisis I'm afraid. Matthew Parris can go back to his nice London flat or house and doesn't really have to deal with it unless he decides to walk along the canal. He might not like it, but it's a fact of life for others. He's one of the haves complaining about the squalid have nots. "Let them eat cake." 

Edited February 23, 2022 by blackrose

[LadyG]

The only practical way of reducing air pollution towpath side in a boat-congested area would have to be electric points, these could be £ chargeable, but if the unit price ended up as significantly greater than current practices, they would be swerved. 

Did Mathew Parris have other ideas?

He may have to walk his fourteen miles in another area for quite a few years even if that became the solution. Lots of green spaces in London. Lots of people living on boats cos they can't afford bricks and mortar. 

It is a problem. It's not easily fixable. The smokeless fuel is not free of pollution, and air dried logs cost more. Diesel and petrol generators are not cheap to buy or run, but people need to keep warm, live with electricity on tap, it's called civilisation. 

He failed to understand that neither solar panels nor  wind generators can generate a reliable supply for most boaters. 

Maybe someone on here can write a letter to the Times 📝. 

I expect Richard Parry might read The Times, how would he respond? 

Edited February 23, 2022 by LadyG

[Naughty Cal]

Matthew Parris does have a very valid point.

 

In this day and age where road vehicles have more and more emissions controls enforced upon them it is only a matter of time before stricter emissions regulations are introduced to the inland waterways in built up areas.

 

Like it or lump it we all have to reduce our emissions and it will effect everyone.

[mark99]

In the Times. Can only see part of it as don't subscribe. Ref London Canals winge. 😒

[LadyG]

Is it really worthy of a new thread? 

PS perhaps you can buy a newspaper in a shop? 

[magnetman]

Or read it in WHSmith? 

 

Can one still do that? I remember years ago going in the one in Kingston on Thames and loads of people loitering reading arrrticles then leaving shop without purchase. 

[Tam & Di]

1 hour ago, blackrose said:

The thing is, it wasn't a problem 20 or 30 years ago when London wasn't crammed full of liveaboard boats. It's just another symptom of the housing crisis I'm afraid.

He is far from being a rabid environmentalist, and has a close relative who lives on a boat. Emissions from boats originate close to ground level, and with buildings each side of the canal it means that smoke and fumes are not readily dispersed. His might just be an early voice, but the point is going to be much more widely made in the near future. People used to burn coal, until that was banned. One of his arguments is that there should be power points, but yes - it would have to be paid for in some manner.

 

Tam

[magnetman]

All you have to do is firstly ban itinerant dwelling on towpaths in inner city areas then turn attention towards those on long term moorings, check and enforce if they are actually allowed to live there (planning permission like everyone else has to have) and if they are then get the ringelman chart out and inspect their flues. 

 

That'll sort it

 

 

[magnetman]

2 hours ago, Tam & Di said:

 wind turbines, 

 

Tam

 

One wonders where he saw the wind turbine(s). 

 

I think this bit may have been made up. 

 

 

[Tigerr]

When we were on the K&A, we used to pass the Aldermaston moorings a lot.  The canal there is next to some houses, with the offside moorings at the end of people's gardens. In the winter there was a boater there who'd have his stove on all the time, and his fuel certainly wasn't smokeless.

The prevailing wind carried a pall of foul smelling smoke and fumes straight into the nearby house and it must have been awful for the unfortunates living there at night in the bedrooms. In the end the boats are going to have to bring their emissions in line with everyone else I think. 

I used to think if I lived there I'd have drilled a hole in that boat eventually. 

[magnetman]

It partly depends on the way the building is arranged and the ventilation. 

 

It's quite likely that when it's cold people will have their windows closed or nearly closed. 

 

If they are unfortunate enough to have a ventilation setup which draws air from the canalside then it's going to be bad news but this won't always be the case. Sometimes it must be the other way around and the air is drawn from the cleaner side of the building. 

 

Something will be done though and it won't be CRT doing it as they have no teeth. 

 

 

[Guest]

It does seem grossly unfair that the house dwellers who no doubt are compelled to using better fuels and have the correct stoves to allow them to burn wood have to tolerate boating neighbours effectively sticking two fingers up to smoke control legislation and smoking them out.

 

Its one thing to say 'well you bought a house near a canal, what do you expect' but it's not unreasonable to expect a bit of consideration from the boaters towards their neighbours.

[magpie patrick]

Yer Tis for those who don't have a subscription

 

My views on canal boats will lead to argy-bargee

 

Matthew Parris

 

Wednesday February 23 2022, 12.01am, The Times

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I’m so enjoying life that I’ve resolved to do all I can to avoid dying. I must walk more, starting last week, when I walked to supper with a friend in Stoke Newington in north London, some seven miles, mostly along Regent’s Canal from Limehouse Basin. It’s lovely walking by canals at night; but I’m afraid this notebook may cost me two barge-dwelling friends: brace yourselves, JD and nephew James ...

 

On long, dark winter nights, air pollution from narrow boats is appalling. Most rely on one or more “smokeless” coal-fired stoves, small independent petrol generators and their own diesel engines, left idling. Much of London’s canal network is lined on both sides with moored, inhabited boats. Walking up Regent’s Canal smelt like walking up a road with lorries parked on each side, engines running.

 

Fortunately there’s an answer. Some boats do have small solar panels or tiny wind turbines, and caravan-style battery packs, but it’s piecemeal stuff. Weight is no problem: canal boats often need ballast for stability anyway. For heat, lighting and propulsion, each, like an electric car, should carry a heavy-duty battery system beneath the floor, trickle-charged by solar and wind, with back-up from canal-side charging points. Canal boats rarely move more often than fortnightly so fast charging should be unnecessary.

 

I put the idea to a barge-dwelling friend. His first response was that 30 years ago on my walk I’d have been knifed. Bargees have civilised the canal-side. He added that the average London bargee couldn’t afford expensive retrofitting. But if we can phase out gas boilers with government grants, couldn’t we at least make sure greener technology is installed on the new-build narrow boats that will be lining the London canals in 30 years’ time?

Edited February 23, 2022 by magpie patrick

[1st ade]

27 minutes ago, magpie patrick said:

Canal boats rarely move more often than fortnightly...

Ahem!! (realising that Magpie is merely quoting the original author)

[magnetman]

(the first bit is not quite right)

It's interesting that boats were brought into the Clean Air Act last year (2021). 

 

Prior to that there was a clause specifically excluding "vessels". 

(End of not quite right bit)

 

Now it will get interesting. 

 

ETA to be more accurate boats are included in the Environment Bill

 

So the above i wrote is not entirely correct but has the same effect. 

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environment-bill-2020/10-march-2020-air-quality-factsheet-part-4

 

 

Included is this bit 

 

"

• Give local authorities powers to address pollution from solid fuel burning on inland waterway vessels (for example, canal boats) in smoke control areas."

 

 

Edited February 23, 2022 by magnetman
Technical correction

[blackrose]

2 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

 

Like it or lump it we all have to reduce our emissions and it will effect everyone.

 

So how would you suggest someone living aboard a boat reduces their heating emissions? What's the alternative to burning fossil fuels? Even boats on moorings with shore power will generally only have access to a 16amp supply which isn't enough to heat many boats in the middle of a cold winter.

 

If there isn't a viable alternative to staying warm and staying alive then I'm afraid it's not going to be as simple as "like it or lump it, reduce your emissions." 

1 hour ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

Its one thing to say 'well you bought a house near a canal, what do you expect' but it's not unreasonable to expect a bit of consideration from the boaters towards their neighbours.

 

It's not really a matter of consideration if there's no viable alternative to heating one's boat.

[magnetman]

5 minutes ago, blackrose said:

 

So how would you suggest someone living aboard a boat reduces their heating emissions? What's the alternative to burning fossil fuels? Even boats on moorings with shore power will generally only have access to a 16amp supply which isn't enough to heat many boats in the middle of a cold winter.

 

If there isn't a viable alternative to staying warm and staying alive then I'm afraid it's not going to be as simple as "like it or lump it, reduce your emissions." 

People living on boats without residential planning permission are exploiting a loophole which may at any time get closed. 

 

If you live on a mooring with residential PP there will be an electric supply and it is possible, although expensive, to heat boats with electric radiators.

 

Oil or gas (expensive) can provide the extra. 

 

I'm quite interested in exploring the mains gas supply option for a residential mooring. That could be intriguing. 

 

I still prefer burning road cones and old tyres on my stove though

 

And best of all damp wood because of lasts longer !

Edited February 23, 2022 by magnetman

[Guest]

Just now, blackrose said:

 

So how would you suggest someone living aboard a boat reduces their heating emissions? What's the alternative to burning fossil fuels? Even boats on moorings with shore power will generally only have access to a 16amp supply which isn't enough to heat many boats in the middle of a cold winter.

 

If there isn't a viable alternative to staying warm and staying alive then I'm afraid it's not going to be as simple as "like it or lump it, reduce your emissions." 

 

The problems seem to stem from the burning of none smokless fuel and unseasoned wood. Both issues are easily rectified but I suspect some people just dont want to pay for it.

 

Our stove can burn wood with no visible smoke as we burn ready to burn properly kiln dried wood, its also defra approved for the burning of wood in a smoke control area.

 

We also only burn smokless solid fuel.

 

Obviously we still emit harmful particulates but any stove will do that including the ones defra approved, however that is not the issue here.

 

Boaters clustered together in high density areas should really take more care.

7 minutes ago, blackrose said:

It's not really a matter of consideration if there's no viable alternative to heating one's boat.

 

Yes it is.

 

It is exactly that. We use our stove considerately and its often the only thing heating our home.

[magnetman]

2 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

 

 

Boaters clustered together in high density areas should really take more care.

Or perhaps they are not that bothered. If the option to live cheaply on boats becomes unavailable then do something else. 

 

It happened with squatting in residential property not so long ago. 

 

Boats could be next. 

 

 

 

[MtB]

6 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Or perhaps they are not that bothered. If the option to live cheaply on boats becomes unavailable then do something else. 

 

 

Exactly. Nobody is forced to live on a boat. If doing it cleanly is not possible, then we can't live on a boats. 

[Guest]

8 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Or perhaps they are not that bothered. If the option to live cheaply on boats becomes unavailable then do something else. 

 

It happened with squatting in residential property not so long ago. 

 

Boats could be next. 

 

 

 

 

The slight problem with that though is what are the alternative options in London in particular?

 

If they work in the capital or need to be there for other reasons and live on a boat they are primarily doing it for reasons of cost. They can't (in the main) suddenly make the jump to a flat costing half a mill and more.

 

By behaving inconsiderately they are drawing attention to themslves and that I suspect will bite them on their backsides at some point and potentially leave them homeless.

 

Its one thing to try and live 'under the radar' but if you wish to that you need to avoid peeing people off.

[David Mack]

The rules on smokeless fuel and wood in stoves have already changed. So boaters will now be mostly buying compliant smokeless fuels (as its all you can buy). But some boaters will still be burning damp or unseasoned timber from fallen trees or salvaged from the canal. And those who do buy dry smokeless fuel or kiln-dried firewood then tend to keep it on the roof or on open decks, where it gets wet again. And it burns smoky.

As general household compliance with the new rules becomes the norm, boaters are going to be an increasingly obvious non-compliant minority.

And no amount of "But what else can we do?" complaining is going to make much difference to the views of the authorities.

[Thomas C King]

31 minutes ago, blackrose said:

So how would you suggest someone living aboard a boat reduces their heating emissions? What's the alternative to burning fossil fuels? Even boats on moorings with shore power will generally only have access to a 16amp supply which isn't enough to heat many boats in the middle of a cold winter.

 

It doesn't have to be fossil fuels. We don't burn coal for heat, just wood.

 

In any case, we have to face some inconvenient truths, one being that living aboard might have to end or drastically change.

[jonathanA]

Why are people 'having' to live on boats in London  ? Because the uk economy is totally biased to the south and the greater London area in particular....  if the wealth was more fairly divided around the country than this would be less of an issue... 

 

Doesn't help that huge amounts of London real estate is now owned by dodgy Russian oligarchs....