Bridgewater canal charges

[gaggle]

The Bridgewater Canal Co has had a long running problem on the Bridgewater with enforcement so they have tackled the problem of over stayers in Castlefield with offering them a mooring. This has been on a "winter moorings" (6 months) basis recently at a cost of £250 per month which includes a Bridgewater license.

 

Due to this going reasonably well they have given 6 boats in Castlefield a permanent private mooring. This is in the old coal wharf arm.

 

Bridgewater Canal Co have hinted that if this appears to be popular more moorings may be made available to the point of making the old coal wharf arm private.

 

The toilet block in Castlefield by Potato wharf was closed for a considerable amount of time last year and has now reopened with access limited to these moorers on it's own key (not a Waterways key like all the others).

 

The othet arm near the YHA is a different kettle of fish entirely. These boats were evicted from Potato Wharf when the development began years ago by Urban Splash, with Peel promising they could return once the development was completed. Because of problems with the development (credit crunch or whatever) it's still not been completed and Peel have never put anything down in writing to them regarding the future of their Potato wharf mooring or offering any other spot in the area, so because of that they've remained where they are and Bridgewater Canal Co have turned a blind eye.

 

The enforcement officer, Sonny Smith is also the manager of Preston Brook Marina, along with his wife Gill.

 

He has appeared to have quite an impact on a number of people along the canal, but having not dealt with him myself won't comment any further on it.

 

There is a constant stream of rumour and speculation up and down the canal, most of which I ignore until confirmed by a reliable source.

 

Bridgewater Canal Co are currently in discussions with CRT in changing the reciprocal agreement in that it will be 7 days free of charge as in the past, and where, in the past there has been no restrictions in the return time, it's now being put down to 28 days. This will apply to CRT on BW and BW to CRT and has the IWA's backing. This has been put forward by Bridgewater to stop people hopping up and down Dukes 92 lock constantly, dodging CRT and BW enforcement.

 

That looks like my trip to the lift and a week on the weaver before I return via the bridgewater to l&l will no longer be free of charge >

[journeyperson]

I really hope they don't make the coal wharf arm private moorings only......that's my favourite mooring.....if they do it will mean there is no safe mooring in Manchester city centre.....not good news at all.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

 

Not a chance. Castlefield is a huge visitor attraction and the main reason for cracking down on mickey taking moorers in the coal wharf arm will be to enhance the visitor experience.

 

Peel wanted to demolish the Wharf pub and build a great big apartment block but the City Council didn't allow them to get away with it. Common sense will prevail even where Peel are concerned.

[TheBiscuits]

If that means in effect one transit in 28 days, that would rule out anyone from the northern end of the T&M nipping up to Liverpool for a week or so

Why?

 

If you only have a week, you can only spend a night in Liverpool. If you want a week in Liverpool, take ten days or more and don't dawdle on the Bridgewater Canal.

 

Have I missed something obvious?

[AndrewIC]

Why?If you only have a week, you can only spend a night in Liverpool. If you want a week in Liverpool, take ten days or more and don't dawdle on the Bridgewater Canal.Have I missed something obvious?

I was thinking more of going for a week but either way it would depend on how any new regulation is defined.... If it's ONE period of up to 7 days with no return in 28, then you would use up the whole "allowance" on the way up,even if if you only took a day or two to transit the Bridgewater. Any other short out and back transits would also bust the "allowance". If it was, for the sake of argument, something like 7 days max (however arranged) in any 28, then two transits out and back would be feasible, but that could still be abused by what I suppose we should now call "border hoppers".

[TheBiscuits]

I was thinking more of going for a week but either way it would depend on how any new regulation is defined.... If it's ONE period of up to 7 days with no return in 28, then you would use up the whole "allowance" on the way up,even if if you only took a day or two to transit the Bridgewater. Any other short out and back transits would also bust the "allowance". If it was, for the sake of argument, something like 7 days max (however arranged) in any 28, then two transits out and back would be feasible, but that could still be abused by what I suppose we should now call "border hoppers".

 

Thanks for the clarification, I was assuming it would be up to 7 days in 28, not one visit only.

 

There are always rumours going around about the Bridgewater and CRT, so I am assuming this is another one until proved otherwise.

 

Maybe we could start our own:

 

The new stop gates near Worsley have been put in to catch overstayers so Peel can steal their boats!

[Paul C]

I think that's about it though - its a rumour. Until its decided upon, put in writing and publicised, its difficult to form an opinion or make plans on. It would be interesting if CRT displayed openness and publicised it as a (local) consultation inviting views on it.

 

Even so, 7 days per 28 could be perceived as generous. If you moored near Bridgewater on a CRT canal and used it all, that's 3 months use effectively.

[Liam]

I was informed of the reciprocal agreement info directly by Peter Parkinson at a recent canal meeting.

 

It's also 7 days in any 28, for example you could spend 7 days on the Bridgewater or 3 on your way to Liverpool and 4 on your return (if within 28 days) and that's fine.

[AndrewIC]

Well, until we see it in black and white I guess any rumours are not worth the paper theyre not written on.

 

I've certainly not had so much as a sniff of any sort of consultation up here in the Wild (North) West.

[gaggle]

I was informed of the reciprocal agreement info directly by Peter Parkinson at a recent canal meeting.

 

It's also 7 days in any 28, for example you could spend 7 days on the Bridgewater or 3 on your way to Liverpool and 4 on your return (if within 28 days) and that's fine.

Which is fair enough .

[AndrewIC]

Someone on Facebook today reports being fleeced charged £40 while making a return transit after 10 days off the Bridgewater. Looks like the Bridgewater is to become a no-go area (well, a go-once area).

[David Mack]

So why is there a reciprocal agreement at all? Wouldn't CRT and BCC get more licence revenue if there was no such agreement, and boats based on the one waterway had to take out a short term licence to use the other, or have some form of combined licence? That's what happens with other independent waterways, such as the Avon, Wey and EA waters.