Clarence Dock

[Grace and Favour]

A few years ago in Clarence dock friends of ours experienced a lot of noise on a Saturday night from a party in one of the flats that went on till about 6 am. In the morning they discovered they'd had glasses with alcohol smashed over their boat. Rather ironic when the residential boaters there had a set of stringent t&c s which even included not being able to keep flowers on their boats. Seems boaters aren't to offend flat dwellers but not much consideration for boaters.

Boatyers mustn't offend towpath cyclists either

[fanshaft]

Visitor mooring in Leeds is one of the many topics being discussed and hopefully addressed by the newly formed NE Partnership - but being on a river it's not quite as straightforward as one might hope. Point taken about the unused 'commercial' moorings in New (was Clarence) Dock and the bridges (which are not under CRT control).

 

regards

David L

[howardang]

Visitor mooring in Leeds is one of the many topics being discussed and hopefully addressed by the newly formed NE Partnership - but being on a river it's not quite as straightforward as one might hope. Point taken about the unused 'commercial' moorings in New (was Clarence) Dock and the bridges (which are not under CRT control).

 

regards

David L

Yes, David, however this subject has been discussed at User Group Meetings, Boaters meetings and by individuals (including me) directly to BW and then CRT management, sadly without much success. Given that the Partnership has now been on the go for over a year without much to show publicly at least, it is long overdue for this issue to be addressed.

 

Howard

Edited July 31, 2013 by howardang

[DeanS]

Yes, David, however this subject has been discussed at User Group Meetings, Boaters meetings and by individuals (including me) directly to BWE and then CRT management, sadly without much success. Given that the Partnership has now been on the go for over a year without much to show publicly at least, it is long overdue for this issue to be addressed.

 

Howard

 

It was the same when I was cruising Leeds 3 yrs ago. How long does it take for them to open up those extra moorings? Another 3 yrs? They open it up once a year...for the Dragonboat Racing.....

[Gazboatman]

 

It was the same when I was cruising Leeds 3 yrs ago. How long does it take for them to open up those extra moorings? Another 3 yrs? They open it up once a year...for the Dragonboat Racing.....

I agree and I live in Leeds and I hate it as Leeds is such a great city. This thread says it all about Leeds.

 

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1516826

[Mrs Trackman]

Thanks to those of you who are trying. I look forward to visiting by boat....and finding a mooring.

[Naughty Cal]

Anyone know if the moorings are quieter at weekends or weekdays?

We arrived on Easter Monday last year expecting to have trouble finding a mooring. There was only us and one other museum/boat/muppet on the pontoon.

 

We really enjoyed our stay in the dock but did find it felt a bit disjointed and remote from the city. When we visit again we will moor closer to Leeds and give Clarence Dock a miss, unless of course it is vastly improved with shops and bars to keep us occupied.

[Robbo]

We arrived on Easter Monday last year expecting to have trouble finding a mooring. There was only us and one other museum/boat/muppet on the pontoon.

 

We really enjoyed our stay in the dock but did find it felt a bit disjointed and remote from the city. When we visit again we will moor closer to Leeds and give Clarence Dock a miss, unless of course it is vastly improved with shops and bars to keep us occupied.

 

Can't think who you mean

[8 Hairy Feet]

 

Can't think who you mean

Das Boot?

[DeanS]

Does anyone know how long you have to stay OFF the VMs in Clarence Dock, (moored on the river) before you can "legally" moor on them again

 

I reckon 48Hrs OFF should give someone the right to go 48Hrs ON ?

 

Actually I only want to go ON for 24hrs (to run the washer), and OFF for 72hrs but that's besides the point. LOL.

 

[Robbo]

 

It was the same when I was cruising Leeds 3 yrs ago. How long does it take for them to open up those extra moorings? Another 3 yrs? They open it up once a year...for the Dragonboat Racing.....

 

The bridges get opened and tested once a month by the local security guards. This year the bridge for the dragon boat race failed to open (think it was a fuse). For the amount of use they get there's a lot of electrical issues with them.

[Robbo]

Does anyone know how long you have to stay OFF the VMs in Clarence Dock, (moored on the river) before you can "legally" moor on them again

 

I reckon 48Hrs OFF should give someone the right to go 48Hrs ON ?

 

Actually I only want to go ON for 24hrs (to run the washer), and OFF for 72hrs but that's besides the point. LOL.

 

 

I don't think anyone knows (even CRT) - http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=45788#entry848459 48on/48off sounds good system

[fanshaft]

Yes, David, however this subject has been discussed at User Group Meetings, Boaters meetings and by individuals (including me) directly to BW and then CRT management, sadly without much success. Given that the Partnership has now been on the go for over a year without much to show publicly at least, it is long overdue for this issue to be addressed.

 

Howard

Howard, i am sorry you have not seen much action from the Partnership as yet (at least in public) but the first year has been a busy one as we get to know each other and better understand how the waterways are managed and why. It's been fascinating but hard work.

The Partnership has spent most of the first year in helping to put together the strategic plan for the next ten years. In order to do that we have looked at each waterway in detail so as to determine what its individual and special characteristics are - strengths and weaknesses etc.. This has been a huge task and has taken up a substantial part of each monthly meeting over the year. We've come up with a 'wish list' of aspirations which has had to be whittled down considerably to reflect what can be realistically achieved and which offers a balance of benefits to the many and varied users of the NE waterways. One of the principal tasks of the Partnership is to engage with other bodies to help achieve these ambitions, and, in particular, to attract additional funding. At the most recent meeting Partnership members were asked to lead on various areas of interest - so I've been given 'Commercial' which includes freight, hire and trip boating, moorings, waterway businesses in general, and heritage. Regards David L

[howardang]

Howard, i am sorry you have not seen much action from the Partnership as yet (at least in public) but the first year has been a busy one as we get to know each other and better understand how the waterways are managed and why. It's been fascinating but hard work.

The Partnership has spent most of the first year in helping to put together the strategic plan for the next ten years. In order to do that we have looked at each waterway in detail so as to determine what its individual and special characteristics are - strengths and weaknesses etc.. This has been a huge task and has taken up a substantial part of each monthly meeting over the year. We've come up with a 'wish list' of aspirations which has had to be whittled down considerably to reflect what can be realistically achieved and which offers a balance of benefits to the many and varied users of the NE waterways. One of the principal tasks of the Partnership is to engage with other bodies to help achieve these ambitions, and, in particular, to attract additional funding. At the most recent meeting Partnership members were asked to lead on various areas of interest - so I've been given 'Commercial' which includes freight, hire and trip boating, moorings, waterway businesses in general, and heritage. Regards David L

Thanks David and I am pleased that you have been given the tasks you describe. I have no doubt that a lot of work is being done behind the scenes but the one thing that is missing is communicating the work of the NE Partnership to the outside world. A small example; the notes of the last meeting you mention says nothing about this role you mention.

 

In my opinion, the Partnership lost a great opportunity at the recent conference in Wakefield. It would have been invaluable to inform those people who had taken the trouble to participate, what had been achieved so far and some idea of an implementation timescale. Instead, we had a repetition of the request for "Blue Sky Thinking" regarding aspirations for the NE waterways, an exercise that has been carried out at least three times now over the last two years to my knowledge.

 

Sorry to sound like a wet blanket because I know that you are working very hard behind the scenes, but it is frustrating to hear so little about what has been achieved and more particularly what the strategy will be for years to come.

 

Finally, to come back to the subject of Clarence Dock and the shortage of visitors moorings, I would be very grateful if, with your new hat on, you could apply a little pressure to get some improvement, especially with the completely unused upper dock.

 

Regards

 

Howard

[Beaker]

There was only us and one other museum/boat/muppet on the pontoon.

Meep? =8O(

[fanshaft]

Howard,

 

I've assembled a group of interested persons to meet and walk from Office Lock down to New Dock (formerly Clarence Dock) in the very near future to look at the visitor mooring provision (lack of). . If you'd like to join us please let me know privately.

 

There are proposals for the unused 'commercial' dock in New Dock - but the detail isn't yet known to us. I would hope some moorings will be available in there either for long term (releasing those spaces in the main dock) or visitors and that the lift bridge can be made operable by boaters or operable on demand.

 

I will pass your comments about the Wakefield meeting to the Partnership chairman, Mark Penny, who is very approachable and would welcome comments.

 

The strategy for years to come will be made public by each of the Partnerships when ready - it's quite a project as we want to do so many things but have to whittle down to what's realistically achievable.

 

Regards

 

David

 

 

Thanks David and I am pleased that you have been given the tasks you describe. I have no doubt that a lot of work is being done behind the scenes but the one thing that is missing is communicating the work of the NE Partnership to the outside world. A small example; the notes of the last meeting you mention says nothing about this role you mention.

 

In my opinion, the Partnership lost a great opportunity at the recent conference in Wakefield. It would have been invaluable to inform those people who had taken the trouble to participate, what had been achieved so far and some idea of an implementation timescale. Instead, we had a repetition of the request for "Blue Sky Thinking" regarding aspirations for the NE waterways, an exercise that has been carried out at least three times now over the last two years to my knowledge.

 

Sorry to sound like a wet blanket because I know that you are working very hard behind the scenes, but it is frustrating to hear so little about what has been achieved and more particularly what the strategy will be for years to come.

 

Finally, to come back to the subject of Clarence Dock and the shortage of visitors moorings, I would be very grateful if, with your new hat on, you could apply a little pressure to get some improvement, especially with the completely unused upper dock.

 

Regards

 

Howard