I am beginning to be concerned

[matty40s]

From 2011. You'd be better off either checking the original act, or the latest guidance on the website

 

Richard

Why should anyone have to search for the latest or correctest(!) guidance on the CRT website.

You look for guidance and there should only be one version on there, the version that you use.

If CRT are incapable or unwilling to make it that easy, it isn't the boaters fault.

[MtB]

They have logged my boat all winter on my home mooring. I know because they come walking along the pontoon dressed in black...

 

 

Even so, now would be a really good time to confirm this with the office (as opposed to hoping towpath logger data did it for you), rather than in six months when you are in court.

[TheBiscuits]

 

I don't like speaking to people on the phone...it's one of my personal glitches. I emailed them back.

 

That's a very good point, and it won't only be you that thinks that way.

 

I'd send them those fantastic photographs you have been sharing with us on here.

 

I have been immensely enjoying your reports of your trip up the big hill, and the astonishment you keep getting round the next bend and up the next lock. You could use those forum posts as proof of your journey if they are a bit sceptical.

[MtB]

Dean doesn't need to send them any evidence of his journey. All he needs to do is make sure they have him down as having a home mooring, then point out he doesn't need to travel, referring them to 17, 3, C, (i).

 

Then they'll either accept this or attempt to cancel his licence. Should they do the latter then comes the hard bit. Either apply for a judicial review of their decision or decide to accept what they say and get CCing properly.

[DeanS]

 

 

Even so, now would be a really good time to confirm this with the office (as opposed to hoping towpath logger data did it for you), rather than in six months when you are in court.

 

in one month, I will be on my marina pontoon. I doubt it'll get to court?

[cotswoldsman]

Sorry but this to me is again about an organisation not fit for purpose from the top down. They are trying to enforce something they do not have any laws to back that up. Secondly we have customer service people leaking out of CRT yet non them thought it would be a good idea to go and talk to Dean to express their concerns. Instead they send a meaningless letter. I suggest that maybe the new head of customer services and the new head of boating along with the ceo go on a letter writing course followed very quickly with some customer service training

[TheBiscuits]

MtB, you are completely correct, but I didn't think Dean wanted to pick a legal fight with CRT - he just wants to not be in his marina for the summer as much as possible.

[DeanS]

Dean doesn't need to send them any evidence of his journey. All he needs to do is make sure they have him down as having a home mooring, then point out he doesn't need to travel, referring them to 17, 3, C, (i).

 

Then they'll either accept this or attempt to cancel his licence. Should they do the latter then comes the hard bit. Either apply for a judicial review of their decision or decide to accept what they say and get CCing properly.

 

to be honest, if it came down to having to cruise any further than I have, I will cancel my marina mooring completely and use the money to pay for petrol/train tickets to get back to work from further away, and probably have some money left over. The trip up the Rochdale has been a huge learning curve....it's taught us that we can survive 45mins away by car...or train......which is something we didn't know we could do before ;-) You never know...I may actually become a CC-er again sooner than you'd think. Real food for thought.

[MtB]

MtB, you are completely correct, but I didn't think Dean wanted to pick a legal fight with CRT - he just wants to not be in his marina for the summer as much as possible.

 

 

But surely he has no choice in the matter. Law is the only way to beat them down. Other than complying with their demands, that is.

 

Or returning to his mooring, which he says he's gonna do anyway.

 

You never know...I may actually become a CC-er again sooner than you'd think. Real food for thought.

 

 

I wouldn't mind betting they've had you down as a CCer all the time, hence the letter. (As we know, the left hand at CRT doesn't know or care what the right hand is doing.)

 

But like you, if I have to CC when away from my home mooring I may as well give it up.

Edited August 11, 2015 by Mike the Boilerman

[cotswoldsman]

 

to be honest, if it came down to having to cruise any further than I have, I will cancel my marina mooring completely and use the money to pay for petrol/train tickets to get back to work from further away, and probably have some money left over. The trip up the Rochdale has been a huge learning curve....it's taught us that we can survive 45mins away by car...or train......which is something we didn't know we could do before ;-) You never know...I may actually become a CC-er again sooner than you'd think. Real food for thought.

Dean you are not allowed to cc you have a job

[MtB]

He could be a fake CCer!

[DeanS]

 

Or returning to his mooring, which he says he's gonna do anyway.

 

 

I'm really only returning to the marina for a pit stop. The year is still young...I'll probably go up the Rochdale again...LOL

Dean you are not allowed to cc you have a job

 

I'll have to sell the boat to my son ;-)

[cotswoldsman]

As aposed to a fake home moorer? You can't win

 

This should have been bellow MtB post slow down Dean

Edited August 11, 2015 by cotswoldsman

[DeanS]

I almost had a heart attack....someone with a black jersey just walked past the boat....lol....this is not good.

As aposed to a fake home moorer? You can't win

 

I'll sell the mooring to my other son...I'm getting confused now.

[DeanS]

Smithy Bridge

 

 

 

Walsden...20 locks from Littleborough

 

 

somewhere else...

 

 

I'm shocked at how busy the canals are.....I'd hate to be preventing someone else from finding a mooring spot.....

Edited August 11, 2015 by DeanS

[lexicon]

Hi dean.

Having had a similar situation earlier this year. Try to get in email contact with Patricia fox at crt if you can. Will be sorted most helpfully.

[RLWP]

Smithy Bridge

 

Dean, I can't find that place. Probably because I'm not familiar with that waterway.

 

The only Smithy Bridge in Canalplanner is on the Manchester Bury and Bolton canal, I think on a disconnected section

 

Sowerby Bridge?

 

Richard

 

MORE: Forget that, it's Bridge 54 at Littleborough - I found it!

Edited August 11, 2015 by RLWP

[David Mack]

 

Dean, I can't find that place. Probably because I'm not familiar with that waterway.

 

The only Smithy Bridge in Canalplanner is on the Manchester Bury and Bolton canal, I think on a disconnected section

 

Sowerby Bridge?

 

Richard

 

MORE: Forget that, it's Bridge 54 at Littleborough - I found it!

Actually between Littleborough and Rochdale - the canal is close to the station of the same name.

[b0atman]

Surely Dean is a CMer = Com Muter with all this travelling to work I hope you get it sorted amicably .

It brings back the problem that Boston had on the South Oxford, what was the outcome of that one ?She travelled 18 miles out and 18 miles back with various legitimate stays on the journey.

[DeanS]

 

Dean, I can't find that place. Probably because I'm not familiar with that waterway.

 

The only Smithy Bridge in Canalplanner is on the Manchester Bury and Bolton canal, I think on a disconnected section

 

Sowerby Bridge?

 

Richard

 

MORE: Forget that, it's Bridge 54 at Littleborough - I found it!

 

Because I work in Manchester, I had to follow the railway stations (until I bought a car), so stopped at Mills Hill (Rose of Lancaster), ...Castleton...Smithy Bridge....Littleborough....Walsden...turned at Walsden...now back at Littleborough.... I lasted with water from Manchester...to Littleborough...refilled at Walsden...refilled again at Littleborough...and will have to get back to Manchester on one tank of water...via Smithy Bridge...Castleton...Mills Hill.....couldn't go past Walsden, because the trains are only once per hour from there..and double the price....so Todmorden would be a lot more...and further by car...and reports of no water on that side of the hill ;-)

[RLWP]

Actually between Littleborough and Rochdale - the canal is close to the station of the same name.

 

Canalplanner seems to throw a wobbly when searching for Smithy Bridge, even though it pops up as Smithy Bridge 54. Very odd

 

 

 

Because I work in Manchester, I had to follow the railway stations (until I bought a car), so stopped at Mills Hill (Rose of Lancaster), ...Castleton...Smithy Bridge....Littleborough....Walsden...turned at Walsden...now back at Littleborough.... I lasted with water from Manchester...to Littleborough...refilled at Walsden...refilled again at Littleborough...and will have to get back to Manchester on one tank of water...via Smithy Bridge...Castleton...Mills Hill.....couldn't go past Walsden, because the trains are only once per hour from there..and double the price....so Todmorden would be a lot more...and further by car...and reports of no water on that side of the hill ;-)

 

I was just curious to see where the places you mentioned in your first post were. It's not a part of the world I'm familiar with

 

Richard

[DeanS]

and although I really don't care....every boater up here has been up here longer than I ;-) It's the purple plague again...unless they're all getting the same email, in which case the canal will be empty...(there's hardly any boats up here as it is...they should be telling people to come up and stay for 2months to help the local economy...boggles my brain...)

[chubby]

My Thoughts

 

I suspect that someone , somewhere , in some office is duty bound to send a letter - a " standardised " letter based upon the info received from the data loggers . This info is unlikely to be complete & therefore its inaccurate .

But the letter has probably got to be sent as as a manager of some sort has said so .

It seems to me that CRT haven t got a clue what they re doing and thier management structure is loaded with people just attempting to justify thier seat on the gravy train .

I imagine meetings with someone saying " Well this month weve sent xxxx number of enforcement letters to xxxx number of boaters & so therefore we must be getting on top of things and blah blah blah " Then another manager will give an indication of how efficiently thier department is performing etc . Then they all go off from thier meetings and begin working on next weeks bullshit in order to continue the " mirage " that things are getting better & that each manager is making a difference whereas in reality its all just nonsense to keep themselves in a cushy job .

The person sending the letter has done so as its now " standard " practice as dictated from above . They receive the data & send the letter .

 

My belief is that Dean should respond to CRT in a cold , matter of fact , non emotional way . No references to broken waterpoints , no references to harassment , no " im trying to be good etc " .

 

MtB s point about the Law is the way to go . My suggestion (& its purely an idea ) would be to draw up a reply explaining & corroborating the boat movements for EVERY day off of home mooring . This makes it comprehensive . Include links to blogs & photographic evidence . Then quote your home mooring references / id numbers etc to ENFORCE the fact that uou do indeed have one . Then quote the law above that stipulates no need to " navigate bona fide etcetc "

 

Keep to the facts : where ive been . The dates - all of them , the mooring location , the law pertaining to my mooring status .

Cold , hard , fact . No emotion , no excuses , just fact - accurate facts . Likely to be more accurate than thiers .

Then send it to Parry , head of boating , head of enforcement , local enforcement officer ( if poss ) . Print it out . Begin a paper trail , a file in which your documentary evidence is far more accurate & far more well presented than thiers .

They are relying on you to brick it & scurry back to your mooring . Try not to , go cruising further , see how they respond .

They do not have any legitimate reason to condemn your boat movements & they MUST be shown why they are incorrect & shown how thier enforcement / data logging system is flawed .

You shouldn t have to do this Dean , but CRT seem unable to establish what theyre doing & how to do it . Fight fire with fire . Tell them where you ve been ,& tell them that thier complaint has no basis in law or common sense

[DeanS]

 

Canalplanner seems to throw a wobbly when searching for Smithy Bridge, even though it pops up as Smithy Bridge 54. Very odd

 

if I remember correctly it might have it as Smithybridge...but may be wrong...it's a lovely spot...very close to a big lake...that sells ice creams...I took the kids up a few times to throw stones on the water...;-)

[RLWP]

 

if I remember correctly it might have it as Smithybridge...but may be wrong...it's a lovely spot...very close to a big lake...that sells ice creams...I took the kids up a few times to throw stones on the water...;-)

 

It does show up in a pop up list, but the software fails when you select it. I'd better raise a report I suppose

 

Richard

 

MORE: Hah! And now it works fine!

Edited August 11, 2015 by RLWP