An open letter from CaRT’s CEO Campbell Robb.

[IanM]

47 minutes ago, Allan(nb Albert) said:

In the event, DEFRA spotted the massive increase from the previous year, queried it and did not get a satisfactory response as to why the method of calculation of these figures had changed after 17 years or why the previous years figures had not been restated.

 

How the hell can you possibly know that?

[Ronaldo47]

23 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

....

Which, largely, as far as the navigation goes, is for two or three week holidays in what CRT regards as the cruising season, which is April to October, and for currently mostly illegal residential boaters who don't want to move in a few big towns.

The latter don't really make much odds to the former, and vice versa.

........

 

It's a point of view that I would not entirely agree with.  Having to regularly slow down past long stretches of what appear to be continuous moorers, has certainly put my wife  off taking any more canal holidays after some 50 years of us regularly doing so. 

[Lady M]

What annoys me is one moored boat at a time.  

[Arthur Marshall]

8 minutes ago, Ronaldo47 said:

 

It's a point of view that I would not entirely agree with.  Having to regularly slow down past long stretches of what appear to be continuous moorers, has certainly put my wife  off taking any more canal holidays after some 50 years of us regularly doing so. 

I was really thinking of the main boat conurbations, like London, rather than the  linear private moorings. I agree they're a pain, the Shroppie seem a prime culprit. I think most of us have decided that when confronted with those, tickover is a nonsense and 2mph is acceptable, and if anyone thinks it isn't, they ought to learn about springs and either moor up property or move to a marina!

[Allan(nb Albert)]

26 minutes ago, IanM said:

 

How the hell can you possibly know that?

Grant review meeting minutes.

[Ewan123]

1 hour ago, Allan(nb Albert) said:

One of CRT's goals for 2025 (from its Ten Year Plan) was to increase visits from 350m (2015) to 500m (2025). Although, it is almost certain that the doubling of visitor numbers in 2019/20 was done to influence a decision on future funding it means that they have achieved one of the long term goals. 

I didn't realise they had claimed to have achieved that goal on the basis of the revised methodology-increase - where have they made that claim please?

[IanD]

4 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

Wasn't that something to do with the Stanage Tunnel and visitor centre  

I don't think so, AFAIK most of the funding went to reopening the canal not Standedge.

[MtB]

57 minutes ago, Lady M said:

What annoys me is one moored boat at a time.  

 

What annoys me is any moored boats (other than my own). 

 

 

 

 

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, Orwellian said:

So who paid the additional annual running costs for the restored Huddersfield Narrow Canal over and above BWB's statutory duty for a Remainder Waterway?

I think the implication is that BW agreed to put in routine operation and maintenance funding (presumably on the basis that they already had a legal obligation to fund a remainder waterway), and the 'sinking fund' would cover the irregular costs, which could include things like lock gate replacement every 25 years as well as any more major works. Could this strictly be done within the '68 Act's stipulation on funding remainder waterways? Maybe not, but it was a fudge that BW and the other parties agreed to to get the canal reopened.

[Orwellian]

35 minutes ago, IanD said:

I don't think so, AFAIK most of the funding went to reopening the canal not Standedge.

Evidence for this comment?

[Allan(nb Albert)]

14 minutes ago, Ewan123 said:

I didn't realise they had claimed to have achieved that goal on the basis of the revised methodology-increase - where have they made that claim please?

They have never made that claim and I apologise if what I wrote led you to that belief. As far as I am aware CRT failed to achieve any of the eight measures of success in the 2015-2025 Ten Year Plan and have refused to provide further information.

 

Publication of a second ten year plan is very much overdue and this is understandable. I would not be surprised if it is never published.

[Stroudwater1]

36 minutes ago, Orwellian said:

Evidence for this comment?

You really are very rude aren’t you…. Ian did say he didn’t think so. He is right. 
 

The tunnel restoration cost £5 million of the £30 million restoration. This is easily gathered information…. 
 

Have you cruised on the Huddersfield canal? Your hostility may subside as it’s a lovely canal, about the best in England.
 

Better still had you ever explored the canal pre restoration? Given the rebuilding of areas (Slaithwaite and Stalybridge especially)  as well as locks, moving locks etc it’s pretty obvious that was the lions share of rebuilding costs. 

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Stroudwater1 said:

Have you cruised on the Huddersfield canal? Your hostility may subside as it’s a lovely canal, about the best in England.
 

 

Ok to swerve orf at a tangent, what might be the ideal boat to take across the HNC? Something plastic I'd guess, with a draft of about a foot?

 

 

[Orwellian]

3 minutes ago, Stroudwater1 said:

You really are very rude aren’t you…. Ian did say he didn’t think so. He is right. 
 

The tunnel restoration cost £5 million of the £30 million restoration. This is easily gathered information…. 
 

Have you cruised on the Huddersfield canal? Your hostility may subside as it’s a lovely canal, about the best in England.
 

Better still had you ever explored the canal pre restoration? Given the rebuilding of areas (Slaithwaite and Stalybridge especially)  as well as locks, moving locks etc it’s pretty obvious that was the lions share of rebuilding costs. 

Not rude at all. All I asked for was evidence to support something he thought was correct. Whether your statement is correct or not I don't know but am sure you've given it in good faith. The answer to your questions are Yes and Yes. I've been involved with inland waterways since 1968. I much prefer the Leeds & Liverpool and many others will have their own favourites. Don't be so touchy! 

[Stroudwater1]

1 minute ago, MtB said:

 

Ok to swerve orf at a tangent, what might be the ideal boat to take across the HNC? Something plastic I'd guess, with a draft of about a foot?

 

 

You’ve been watching too many you tube videos MTB. 🤣

 

I think Rob managed it OK this year and I think his boats moderately deep drafted. IanD also did it too. We did it twice in a Shire hire boat and never got stuck once. You can’t expect to easily single hand as lock landings are shallow, but then we’ve got snarled up on the left lock landing at Factory locks Tipton before now. Ours is 2’6 and unless Orwellian places padlocks and blockades we hope to do it in the next 2 years. 

[Orwellian]

3 minutes ago, Stroudwater1 said:

Ours is 2’6 and unless Orwellian places padlocks and blockades we hope to do it in the next 2 years. 

Now who's being rude? Childish comment.

[IanD]

16 minutes ago, Orwellian said:

Now who's being rude? Childish comment.

You're the one who keeps casting doubts on what other people say -- have you considered providing evidence of your own?

 

Thought not... 😞

[Rob-M]

40 minutes ago, Stroudwater1 said:

You’ve been watching too many you tube videos MTB. 🤣

 

I think Rob managed it OK this year and I think his boats moderately deep drafted. IanD also did it too. We did it twice in a Shire hire boat and never got stuck once. You can’t expect to easily single hand as lock landings are shallow, but then we’ve got snarled up on the left lock landing at Factory locks Tipton before now. Ours is 2’6 and unless Orwellian places padlocks and blockades we hope to do it in the next 2 years. 

We went up to Uppermill earlier in the year, winded above lock 21W.  We are probably about 2'6" draft.  Lock landings were the biggest issue as generally couldn't get anywhere close to them so made sure to drop wife in the nearest bridge before a lock.  Coming back down was fine as I just stuck the bows against the top gate but going up our solar panels prevented getting on the lock from the cabin top.

Some of the paddles were hard work but that was lack of greasing and lack of use.

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, Rob-M said:

Lock landings were the biggest issue as generally couldn't get anywhere close to them so made sure to drop wife in the nearest bridge before a lock

 

Did that make significant difference to the draft ?

Edited Wednesday at 20:22 by Alan de Enfield

[Alway Swilby]

We've done the full length of the HNC from west to east 3 times in our 2'6" draught boat. It's a great canal and well worth the hard work. The lock operator tended to walk between locks unless it was a long pound (not many of them!).

[IanD]

3 hours ago, Stroudwater1 said:

You’ve been watching too many you tube videos MTB. 🤣

 

I think Rob managed it OK this year and I think his boats moderately deep drafted. IanD also did it too. We did it twice in a Shire hire boat and never got stuck once. You can’t expect to easily single hand as lock landings are shallow, but then we’ve got snarled up on the left lock landing at Factory locks Tipton before now. Ours is 2’6 and unless Orwellian places padlocks and blockades we hope to do it in the next 2 years. 

The only point we (2' draft) got really stuck (end of May) was below one of the west side locks where the bywash had pushed silt out into the canal.

Edited Wednesday at 21:39 by IanD

[Jon57]

36 minutes ago, Alway Swilby said:

We've done the full length of the HNC from west to east 3 times in our 2'6" draught boat. It's a great canal and well worth the hard work. The lock operator tended to walk between locks unless it was a long pound (not many of them!).

Ditto 3 times with a 2foot 10inch draft. Not easy but doable if you like a challenge 😁👍 

[Tom and Bex]

6 hours ago, David Mack said:

I think the implication is that BW agreed to put in routine operation and maintenance funding (presumably on the basis that they already had a legal obligation to fund a remainder waterway), and the 'sinking fund' would cover the irregular costs, which could include things like lock gate replacement every 25 years as well as any more major works. Could this strictly be done within the '68 Act's stipulation on funding remainder waterways? Maybe not, but it was a fudge that BW and the other parties agreed to to get the canal reopened.

I recall something similar being agreed during restoration of the Bridgwater and Taunton canal in the 90's. Local authorities agreed to fund the difference in maintenence between remainder and cruiseway on reopening, so not the first time this happened. No idea of the details or duration of that agreement, or if there's any ongoing obligations. 

[LadyG]

On 04/08/2026 at 11:19, Bristolfashion said:

Oh, I see, well I'd be happy to pay a higher licence fee to more accurately pay for my boating, I was more thinking about my monthly donation as somewhat paying for my general enjoyment and use of CRT infrastructure in the same way I support the RSPB, wildlife trusts & National Trust.

One other thing I've been thinking about is the Trust building an "end of life" fund (for boats, not boaters). There are quite a lot of notifications about sunken / abandoned / "terminal" non licensed/ insured/BSS boats and they can be pretty expensive to deal with in difficult locations. 

 

I see that the total annual cost is estimated at substantial. My idea is a small first registration charge to reflect the theoretical end of life cost of a boat based on recovery / removal costs and % likelihood. Over time, a fund would build up to deal with these costs - and the additional cost for a new narrowboat would be inconsequential.

Pigs might fly, it hasn't worked in any other industry.

You may be happy to pay more, but not everyone is in that situation. 

I occasionally donate to othe charities, but I dont give extra to the CRT.

They know what they are getting from boaters, raising the costs too high will have a negative affect particularly in recreational boating.

The biggest beneficiaries are  taxpayers and their families. The UK Govt must pay.

Edited Thursday at 08:19 by LadyG

[MtB]

One way to solve the abandoned boat problem would be to deny a licence for a new boat unless an existing, licenced boat is demonstrated to have been removed from the waterway and scrapped. Demand for abandoned boats would sky-rocket!