South East Visitor Mooring Consultation

[alan_fincher]

Quite a bit is I think currently in use as Winter Moorings on the Waitrose stretch.

 

However I am staggered you found it anything approaching full throughout the entire mile or so of Berkhamsted. Alongside the moor for instance, (opposite the sation), I have seldom seen more than two boats there all winter.

 

You can tie up anywhere except lock landings and the winding hole - you don't need to look for any specific signage. Little point looking for anything like rings and bollards, there are currently almost none.

[Tuscan]

We stayed in Berkhamsted last night and it seemed pretty crowded to us. We came through heading North and couldn't work out whether or not we were allowed to moor below the Rising Sun, didn't see any signage there.

Found half a mooring just outside the Crystal Palace ( ie we were on the wharf but half the boat past the sign)

This morning we carried on North and found it still pretty full around the corner.

 

I think one of the biggest problems is that there seem to be no reliable maps of where moorings actually are. Nicholson's doesn't give any clues and the digital maps don't have them marked properly. I may have missed something but it seems to me that CART could well put maps online of these popular places and clearly mark visitor moorings.

 

 

 

 

You do not need signs to tell you where to moor, look at it another way if there is not a specific sign saying no mooring then you can moor. The only criteria is having enough depth to get close enough to tie up securely. It's normally pretty obvious where the visitor moorings are however one of the outcomes of the recent consultation is that CRT are going to refresh the signage at the VM's. Enjoy your cruise.

[BEngo]

You do not need signs to tell you where to moor, look at it another way if there is not a specific sign saying no mooring then you can moor. The only criteria is having enough depth to get close enough to tie up securely. It's normally pretty obvious where the visitor moorings are however one of the outcomes of the recent consultation is that CRT are going to refresh the signage at the VM's. Enjoy your cruise.

 

 

 

I wonder just how long the new signs will last. When BW put up mooring restriction signs on the Tring summit most were missing or painted over within a few weeks and the posts steadily disappeared over the following winter.

 

N

Edited March 23, 2013 by BEngo

[Tuscan]

With the introduction of the £25 service/penalty charge I am sure you are right and this will be a problem.

[john6767]

Well done Alan and others for their efforts, and also well done to CRT for listening.

Edited March 23, 2013 by john6767

[jenlyn]

With the introduction of the £25 service/penalty charge I am sure you are right and this will be a problem.

The signs themselves look as though they are perfect for puncture repairs on a plastic. Nice size, flexible, add some resin and hardener, bobs your uncle.

[Chris Pink]

I wonder just how long the new signs will last. When BW put up mooring restriction signs on the Tring summit most were missing or painted over within a few weeks and the posts steadily disappeared over the following winter.

 

N

 

It's called "user feedback" and "consultation"

[RLWP]

strong opposition was shown at the meetings in the Midlands

 

 

Richard

 

CRT are quickly loosing the goodwill they had when they started life, i don't see they have changed the old BW arrogant managment attitude at all.

 

From the meetings I have attended, they seem to be learning that the communication channels they had as BW didn't reach ordinary boaters

 

Richard

[madcat]

Much gratitude and thanks to those who are able to engage with CART and try and curtail their wildest schemes. I'm afraid any engagement between me and some of the CART characters mentioned would likely involve hissing and claws.

As a charity CART need good will, mooring auctions that allow the wealthy to use their money to exclude the less well off and unfair charges levied on customers for not very good reasons generates no good will at all.

The IWA are not representing all boaters equally and appear to be making things worse.

[alan_fincher]

We stayed in Berkhamsted last night and it seemed pretty crowded to us. We came through heading North and couldn't work out whether or not we were allowed to moor below the Rising Sun, didn't see any signage there.

Found half a mooring just outside the Crystal Palace ( ie we were on the wharf but half the boat past the sign)

This morning we carried on North and found it still pretty full around the corner.

 

I think one of the biggest problems is that there seem to be no reliable maps of where moorings actually are. Nicholson's doesn't give any clues and the digital maps don't have them marked properly. I may have missed something but it seems to me that CART could well put maps online of these popular places and clearly mark visitor moorings.

OK, please dno't treat the fact that I'm again returing to quote and comment on your post as anything other than a genuine attempt to advise - I'm honestly trying to be helpful here!

 

It does seem to relate to a increasing misunderstanding amogst many boaters about tying up in towns that may or may not have designated visitor moorings, and there seemed to be a lot of misunderstadings both from those replying to the survey, and even some attending the workshops.

 

Basically in a town like Berkhamsted you can safely assume you can tie up on any bit of towpath that is not a lock landing a winding hole or specifically marked as no mooring, subject to leaving a uobstructed path for other boats to get through.

 

There may, or may not, be dedicated signage, and there may or may not be rings or bollards to tie to in some places. Traditionally Berkhamsted has all been 14 day moorings, and many signs still exist to that effect, but many are old, vandalised, and often unreadable. Whether there are signs or not makes not a jot of difference to whether you can moor there - you always can, unless it is explicitly forbidden.

 

I walked Berkhamsted again today, (the whole length) and can confirm the situation is very similar to what it was before you came through. It is no more than 50% full overall, (more than that in some places, near empty in others), and that must have largely been the situation when you passed through.

 

I therefore think you may not be understanding the usual way this would work - I can't see any other explanation. Simply tie up anywhere you fancy that there is a viable space, and adequate depth of water.

 

Berkhamsted could easily accommodate another 20 or 30 visiting boats at the m,oment, provided you are not obsessed with staying at any very specific part of it.

[Peter Thornton]

No problem. It's my first time through Berkhampsted (except for the way down I suppose!) looking for a mooring and perhaps we just didn't know where to look.

 

"Out of town" we moor anywhere without no mooring signs, except that we kind of assume that bollards are there for temporary halts, locks, services etc. But in towns we usually look for the visitor moorings with rings.

 

We are occasional boaters with a share that gives us 3/4 weeks a year.

 

Happy to learn from the more experienced.

[alan_fincher]

No problem.

 

Many areas down here really currently make no great effort to sign visitor moorings, so you really need to just try and judge from Nicholsons, Google Maps, or whatever you are using, where is a good place to start looking for a suitable bit of bank.

 

CRT reckon to be a "Visitor Mooring" as they now use the term there should be a good bit of edge, and rings or bollards, but I'm not holding my breath for rings and bollards actually arriving throughout the length when the new signage does, (although one might at least hope some go in on a new dedicated 2 hour "shopping" mooring).

 

As an aside, one feature of the area is that the West Coast Main Line into Euston closely follows the line of the canal, so at many of the "moorable" locations you are fairly exposed to the noise of Pendolinos ans other trains, particularly as the trains are often high up on embankments. With a bit of local knowledge, it is some degree possible to choose the places where the impacts of this are least heard, (assuming it even concerns you!)

[matty40s]

My favourite Berkhamstead moorings are right down the bottom end just above bridge 143 or above topside lock. There is a bit of rail noise, but you don't notice after a couple of nights. I was iced in for 9 weeks down there in 2010 and enjoyed the stay and the local company.

[Peter Thornton]

No problem.

 

Many areas down here really currently make no great effort to sign visitor moorings, so you really need to just try and judge from Nicholsons, Google Maps, or whatever you are using, where is a good place to start looking for a suitable bit of bank.

 

CRT reckon to be a "Visitor Mooring" as they now use the term there should be a good bit of edge, and rings or bollards, but I'm not holding my breath for rings and bollards actually arriving throughout the length when the new signage does, (although one might at least hope some go in on a new dedicated 2 hour "shopping" mooring).

 

As an aside, one feature of the area is that the West Coast Main Line into Euston closely follows the line of the canal, so at many of the "moorable" locations you are fairly exposed to the noise of Pendolinos ans other trains, particularly as the trains are often high up on embankments. With a bit of local knowledge, it is some degree possible to choose the places where the impacts of this are least heard, (assuming it even concerns you!)

 

Bu you do get a good 3G signal by mooring near the West Coast line!

[alan_fincher]

Bu you do get a good 3G signal by mooring near the West Coast line!

Everybody tends to have different priorities in what is important about a mooring. Some even seem to think a TV signal can be important!

[DeanS]

Hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[onionbargee]

The signs themselves look as though they are perfect for puncture repairs on a plastic. Nice size, flexible, add some resin and hardener, bobs your uncle.

might be an expensive patch, everywhere you go you'll be on a £25 fine !

[Jim Batty]

...

I’d just like to say that those of us involved tried our very best to get a sensible result, and, (if we have secured what I believe we have), it is a massively more sensible outcome, at least for some of the locations, than the original proposal. ...

 

Thanks Alan for all your efforts and skill. It's much appreciated.

 

To be honest, I don't see what the problem is that is trying to be fixed here. Having two-hour, one-day, two-day, seven-day and two-week patches and stretches here and there seems like madness to me. And surely only non-boaters would wish to secure something as mixed up and overly complicated as this. Can you imagine a Nicholson's guide trying to outline all these different timings and mooring positions. Can you imagine anyone making sense of it even if they did?!

[alan_fincher]

And surely only non-boaters would wish to secure something as mixed up and overly complicated as this.

I wish this were true, Jim.

 

Unfortunately there seem to be a lot of boaters that think this much regulation & control, even if it means needing to hand out complex maps, is just what is needed.

 

We were never going to completely overturn that, but at least by getting decisions that the majority of somewhere is 7 day, rather than 2 day, we have injected a bit of sanity back into things which (in my view) were total over the top for the locations involved.

 

Reverting to 14 day in winter unfortunately makes it even more complex still, but is far more sensible in my view than letting really severe restrictions run all year, and hence a need to police sites daily that would be largely devoid of boats if the rules were adhered to.

 

As I have said we have tried to get the least restrictive regime we can, given that they would not accept the view of at least 50% of respondents that it should not happen at all at this stage.

 

But no, I don't fancy writing the guides that have to reflect it!

[CathyC]

THANK YOU so much to Alan, 'Jenlyn', John, Peter, Allan, Lou, and everyone else who has worked so hard and so tirelessly on our behalf. Even John Dodwell and Sally. It does and it doesn't surprise me that only 50% of respondents were opposed. Although as CCs we are outnumbered by 'shiny' boaters (not all of whom are in favour of this), you'd think that CCs would be making the biggest noise because it's us who will be most affected. Indeed it may make life impossible for many of us - the 'compliant' CCs most of all.

But there's the rub: Because CaRT hasn't been imposing its existing regs properly there is still an extraordinary degree of ignorance and complacency among my fellow CCs about all this. I mean, where are all the hordes of CCs who will be affected by this and any resulting roll-out, on this and other websites? It's all the same old people, on CWF, Narrowboatworld and BM. Thank god many of you care anyway.

Ironically, maybe these changes will provide the kick up the stern many of them need to get up and start getting political. Then Alan and Jen can have a break and get back to their petunias.

[CathyC]

Reverting to 14 day in winter unfortunately makes it even more complex still, but is far more sensible in my view than letting really severe restrictions run all year, and hence a need to police sites daily that would be largely devoid of boats if the rules were adhered to.

Btw Alan, surely CaRT was never going to end up imposing these restrictions in the winter and lose out on all that lovely winter mooring income?