Lessons CRT could learn

[twbm]

I am not sure what the fencing off comments are about - isn't the Wey towpath a public right of way?

And boats have to be licensed as they do on CRT waters. I know old NT houses are fenced but not the River Wey ??

 

Simply that if people want to get into a walled stately home it's easy to charge them for the privilege, whereas waterways aren't enclosed so the huge majority of visitors and 'users' don't contribute. If all walkers and cyclists paid even £1 a visit C&RT would be well funded. Fully aware the Wey isn't fenced hence the 'much of their estate'.

[churchward]

One thought is that the NT licence for the River Way does not allow any residential boats so it is a leisure cruise only waterway.

[David Mack]

The advantage they have is that much of their estate has a wall round it and a gate where you charge everyone for access.

Much but not all. Within a 1/4 mile of my house is 400 acres of National Trust land crossed by over 15 miles of footpaths, which I can (and do) walk without paying a penny (having no need of the paid-for parking). But I do patronise their cafe.

Edited August 15, 2015 by David Mack

[Alan Saunders]

Forgive me if my memory fails me but I believe the Wey Navigation, often known as 'Steven's Canal', was handed over to the National Trust in good order. Further, it is a 'canalised' river with adequate water supply and relatively rare problems with flooding compared to other rivers. To paraphrase StephenA, the National Trust offloaded the cost of maintaining the 'restored' Southern Stratford to BW. NT properties, like Government property (Schools etc.), are also now expected to be 'self-supporting'.

 

Many of the 'Trusts' do an excellent job but their costs are reduced by expert volunteer labour and donations. CRT managers insist that they are not a charity (true) but they try to emulate the success of the minor waterways by trying to attract donations and volunteers. Until CRT employ people that understand and are capable of managing a waterway they will not attract the excellent, professional, free expertise and donations that the independent waterways depend on.

 

Alan

[Thorfast]

We too have just been along the Wey Navigation, and a lovely waterway it is.

Whilst I agree that it is generally well looked after by the NT, I did notice that the dredging being done at Town Lock was being undertaken by an EA team, presumably subcontracted to do the work, so they obviously do not do everything themselves.

We used the elsan point at Pryford and I have to say it is the worst one I have seen in many a year.....it reminded me of what they looked like in the 1960's. There was no water supply there and in my opinion the place should be closed immediately as a heath hazard.

[George94]

Not so sure the River Wey is entirely funded by licence and mooring fees. Surely the River Wey is but one of hundreds of national historically important sites they fund from revenue from visitors to their sites, annual Trust membership etc., a revenue stream they been building for donkeys years. The advantage they have is that much of their estate has a wall round it and a gate where you charge everyone for access. Unless someone's got about 4500 miles of very good fencing that's where C&RT are disadvantaged and have to look to alternatives like 'Friends' and raising awareness via modern media like the website currently being vilified elsewhere.

 

Critical apostrophe edit .. see, I correct my own grammar too.

 

Careful, you'll soon be accused of being called a pedant by the illiterati.

 

Your points about the huge differences between the NT and CART are well made.

[nipper]

We too have just been along the Wey Navigation, and a lovely waterway it is.

Whilst I agree that it is generally well looked after by the NT, I did notice that the dredging being done at Town Lock was being undertaken by an EA team, presumably subcontracted to do the work, so they obviously do not do everything themselves.

We used the elsan point at Pryford and I have to say it is the worst one I have seen in many a year.....it reminded me of what they looked like in the 1960's. There was no water supply there and in my opinion the place should be closed immediately as a heath hazard.

Yes, that Pyrford disposal point is a stink hole, but don't knock it, because it's the only elson disposal point that you can guarantee to be working.

 

This cannot be said for the Dapdune and Godalming disposal points, that were closed a few weeks ago!

 

Nipper

[Leo No2]

We too have just been along the Wey Navigation, and a lovely waterway it is.

Whilst I agree that it is generally well looked after by the NT, I did notice that the dredging being done at Town Lock was being undertaken by an EA team, presumably subcontracted to do the work, so they obviously do not do everything themselves.

EA are responsible for the river sections and NT for the canalised sections. White weirs are EA responsibility and green weirs NT responsibility but I seem to remember there's a bit of 'back scratching' in times of flood.

[b0atman]

I have not personally noticed a big difference between CRT (Charity) and BW (business (was BW ever a business?)

Why should one be apprently 3 times as efficient as the other?

Would be better to say not as inefficient as Still top heavy with fat cats and light on the ground.

[gazza]

Well, you'd be wrong about the Middle Level. They don't charge a license fee at all (because they can't legally do so). There are no water taps provided. Maintenance (lock repairs etc) tend to be done be contractors, and it's normal for stoppages to take months. The paddle gear is awful.

Mooring facilities are sparse.

 

Is the Wey license more or less expensive per km of waterway than the Cam Conservators? Either way it looks pretty expensive given the length of usable water it gives you access to.

 

MP.

Indeed.

 

The MLC are primarily concerned with keeping the fens drained, the revenue coming from the Internal Drainage Boards.

 

As MP points out, there is no navigation licence on the levels.

 

In living memory navigating the levels was almost lost - there was talk of filling in Well Creek to improve the Downham road....

Only thanks to the efforts of the founding members of the MLWC do you have a system to navigate, not many of the old boys are left now, we owe a debt of gratitude to them all.