Minimum distance? The enforcement officers have it in black and white.

[Dharl]

I have mentioned before a suggestion that Parish Boundaries are used to mark different 'places' as these where often in place before the Canals where first built and also are more numirous in Cities whilst more spread out in rural areas. Found this very intresting web link which shows all the parish boundaries.....though not in major towns and cities, however you get the idea!

 

www.itoworld.com/map/193?lon=-1.18698&lat=51.41223&zoom=12

 

if the link works ok, it shows on the OS map between Newbury to Theal on the K&A, which crosses 10 different Parishes / Places enroute.

 

Until CART provides a map showing their "places" I would be tempted to use similar if I was CC.

[Jerra]

I'm shure that means there is, but I think they have done it by just using a grid of 1km for the entire network.

Regards kris

 

To aid gps location.

If they are wouldn't it make sense to use the Ordnance Survey grid. Oh hang on CRT and common sense is that some sort of oxymoron?

[SamKingfisher]

Hmm. I'm now a CCer. I'm totally relaxed about how far I'm moving, and am satisfied that I'm using the boat bona fide for navigation (I need a pump out)

 

So I'm fine ya?

[cotswoldsman]

I must say it is all rather confusing especially as this not only effects ccers I have only been to Berko twice on my boat but I would have thought that it at least is large enough to include 2 places.

 

What is all this £25 fine all about? Is this the instruction to volunteer Rangers? Can you pay them in cash?

[jenlyn]

This is the waterways ministers Facebook page.

https://m.facebook.com/RoryStewartPenrith

[cotswoldsman]

 

 

 

Two comments...

 

1) Nobody else understands either. Not even CRT.

 

2) It's easy to understand. If you're worried you're not moving far enough, then you're right, you're not moving far enough. The thought process alone of worrying you aren't moving far enough illustrates your lack of intent to use the boat bona fide for navigation throughout the period of the licence. Move further!

I don't quite follow this logic. I am near Stourport and plan to do the River Avon in August so after 300 miles this year I need to slow down so am worried about how far I need to move tomorrow but by your statement I have no intent. By the time I get to Gloucester including my diversions I will have covered over 400 miles

[magnetman]

 

What is all this £25 fine all about? Is this the instruction to volunteer Rangers? Can you pay them in cash?

[jenlyn]

 

What is all this £25 fine all about? Is this the instruction to volunteer Rangers? Can you pay them in cash?

I doubt they have their heads around PayPal yet.

[Jim Riley]

Re the ordnance survey grid, will the lines be painted on the towpath?

[magnetman]

Smartphone app?

 

License discount if you also allow Crt to track you while driving the boat (gps signal)

[jenlyn]

Re the ordnance survey grid, will the lines be painted on the towpath?

Post its....

[Bettie Boo]

I must say it is all rather confusing especially as this not only effects ccers I have only been to Berko twice on my boat but I would have thought that it at least is large enough to include 2 places.

 

What is all this £25 fine all about? Is this the instruction to volunteer Rangers? Can you pay them in cash?

 

Hi John, not sure if the highlighted it was meant as "tongue in cheek" or not...

 

The gentleman I was speaking with earlier today, when asked how it worked said something along the lines of..."the whole of Berkhamstead is one area and if you are logged as staying longer than 14 days CRT will charge you a £25 per day overstay charge"

 

Didn't sound like he would be the one actually issuing the charge, more coming via CRT based on the data they have based on what he (the volunteer) the the local EO put into their system.

 

If I see him again, I'll make an effort to have another chat and see if I can find out what his understanding is of the role be plays and the instructions/directions he has been given by CRT when chatting to boaters as he encounters them.

 

 

ETA - keeping in mind it will only be "his" take on those instructions/directions and my understanding of what he tells me

Edited July 14, 2015 by Bettie Boo

[cotswoldsman]

 

Hi John, not sure if the highlighted it was meant as "tongue in cheek" or not...

 

The gentleman I was speaking with earlier today, when asked how it worked said something along the lines of..."the whole of Berkhamstead is one area and if you are logged as staying longer than 14 days CRT will charge you a £25 per day overstay charge"

 

Didn't sound like he would be the one actually issuing the charge, more coming via CRT based on the data they have based on what he (the volunteer) the the local EO put into their system.

 

If I see him again, I'll make an effort to have another chat and see if I can find out what his understanding is of the role be plays and the instructions/directions he has been given by CRT when chatting to boaters as he encounters them.

 

 

ETA - keeping in mind it will only be "his" take on those instructions/directions and my understanding of what he tells me

It was sort of tongue in cheek.

Are there signs in Berko warning about the £25 fine? Ooops sorry £25 charge for the amazing extra services they provide

[tugstyle]

Smartphone app?

 

License discount if you also allow Crt to track you while driving the boat (gps signal)

 

Or fit one of these to your boat and then you can prove where your boat has been if you ever get into a dispute.

 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/gt600-motion-detecting-gps-travel-tracker-a52ka

[alan_fincher]

He explained that the whole of Berkhamstead was considered one area and we could moor anywhere there was a vacancy for 14 days; as in we could moor in 3 or 4 different locations as long as the whole stay didn't go over the 14 days in which case CRT would issue us with a £25 overstay charge per day. He didn't do this in a stern or abrasive way at all, and only did so after me asking questions.

 

Here we go again - this is disgraceful, IMO.

 

He has absolutely no right or authority to tell you that.

 

The £25 charge, (which many consider unlawful), only applies at a small number of short term visitor mooring on South East Waterways, and Berkhamsted most definitely is not one of them< (there are no moorings here resticted to less than 14 days).

 

CRT cannot even make up its mind about how much of Berkhamsted is recognised visitor moorings at the moment. When Matthew Symmonds produced a map for us, it did not include any of the more popular parts, like the "Waitrose" pound.

 

CRT might want to introduce short stay, and £25 charges in Berkhamsted, but it hasn't happened yet, and some of us will continue to oppose it.

 

Think about it though - the type of people volunteering for this role are going to be the type of people who wish to see this introduced, aren't they.

 

Incidentally they continue to monitor the wrong thing in Berkhamsted, if the aim is to establish whether mooring restrictions are required. They are recording what boats are there, but not how close to full it is - what they need to be recording is how much free space there is there each time. It doesn't matter if somewhere always has 40 boats moored, if there are always at least another 10 possible mooring spaces not being used, does it?

[alan_fincher]

How does this fit in with what the SE Boaters group have been told.?

 

It doesn't.

 

Somebody is telling porkies, because in Berkhamsted their role should be recording only.

 

If they are saying CRT will invoice £25 for overstaying, then that is not what Matthew Symmonds is saying.

 

I'm happy to challenge this, but to avoid what happens each time I do raise a challenge, I would need to know the name of this volunteer.

 

He should have a badge and an ID card, and should be prepared to show you.

 

Can I suggest that each time someone decides they are going to post on here what a volunteer has told them, they only do so, if they can supply their name.

 

Don't forget we are being told some people posing as volunteers are known to be bogus!

[jenlyn]

 

 

 

Incidentally they continue to monitor the wrong thing in Berkhamsted, if the aim is to establish whether mooring restrictions are required. They are recording what boats are there, but not how close to full it is - what they need to be recording is how much free space there is there each time. It doesn't matter if somewhere always has 40 boats moored, if there are always at least another 10 possible mooring spaces not being used, does it?

Totally agree.

 

The problem is, Mathew symmonds original job description is no longer required, this is his life ring.

[alan_fincher]

Didn't sound like he would be the one actually issuing the charge, more coming via CRT based on the data they have based on what he (the volunteer) the the local EO put into their system.

Can you please find out his name, and PM it to me Betty.

[alan_fincher]

Are there signs in Berko warning about the £25 fine? Ooops sorry £25 charge for the amazing extra services they provide

 

There are barely signs that say 14 day moorings, (for that is what the entirety of Berkhamsted towpath still is).

 

Those that exists are defaced, and in many cases illegible.

 

CRT produced a map showing which bits they currently consider to be visitor mooring, (14 days) and it was only the bit near the station, (arguably the worst bit to moor in).

 

Previous data gathering was said to establish that there was after all no need for shorter time restrictions - the response from the volunteers was that they wanted to continue to gather data - looks like they have their own agenda to me, and CRT certainly didn't rell them they wanted them to stop!

 

I have been expecting the next problem to be that, because it is mostly NOT a formal VM, (according to CRT), people on winter tow-path moorings could legally stay here over last winter, and many did, (paying, of course). This did make it quite crowded, and I feared data gathered then would then be used to make a case for short stay moorings and overstay charges. Am I getting two suspicious and cynical? I would love to think I am, but fear I am not.

 

People are continuing to play games, and I fear ultimately things will happen for no valid reason other than that some people feel they should.

[magnetman]

 

 

Don't forget we are being told some people posing as volunteers are known to be bogus!

I met a bloke down near Bradford on Avon back in 2001 cycling down the towpath with documents enclosed envelopes and notices for boaters. We had just arrived so he wasn't bothered but did explain he was going to issue notices to all the boats who had overstayed. He said he was nothing to do with BW

 

Was a bit of an odd situation but I think there may be some fairly organised busibodies about and to be fair there may possibly be boatspotters innocently taking boat details for their own records like wot sum do with trains.

[matty40s]

There have always been busybodies in Berko, perhaps they are now offishull busybodies.

 

CRT is seemingly empowering people to make things up as they go along, perhaps by delegating without checking that the task has been understood, Or by telling them the long term plan behind the task which the Volunteer decides to implement immediately .

[alan_fincher]

To be clear, I don't think it likely that the person Betty has encountered is a fake.

 

He is, however handing out a message different from the one given to some of us as the official CRT line.

 

So I would love to know if he is doing this off his own bat, or whether "somebody" in CRT is telling him that £25 charges do (or will) apply in Berkhamsted.

 

Someone, somewhere must be being "economical with the truth", and this is a difficult enough topic to try and bring some sense to, without dishonesty being added to the equation.

 

If anybody can get a full name, I'll follow it up, although I'm starting to think nailing jelly to a ceiling is far more likely to succeed.

[MtB]

Some would say that 200 miles is less then a weeks cruising

 

Not if you're planning on staying in Berko for a fortnight+ in the middle!

[Bettie Boo]

Can you please find out his name, and PM it to me Betty.

 

Will do Alan - his name badge said "Tony", but I wasn't wearing my glasses so was unable to actually read his ID "badge?" that he had on his lanyard around his neck.

 

If we are still here and I do see him on Thursday I'll politely ask to have a look at his ID "badge"

[cotswoldsman]

 

Not if you're planning on staying in Berko for a fortnight+ in the middle!

Or for dumpers