CANAL CHARITY MAKES KEY APPOINTMENTS TO REALISE FULL POTENTIAL OF WEST MIDLANDS WATERWAYS

[MtB]

3 minutes ago, Athy said:

 

Yes, we're an observant bunch, hence I noticed the date.

 

So why the question about clairvoyancy? Obviously a forecast!

 

 

[Athy]

3 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Glad you think there's nothing untoward about the content then..

Well,, they tried the same trick recently when another bit of canal somewhere in the North collapsed, so it seems likely that they will do so again - not that they will get any financial support from me, as I already pay my annual licence fee. "untoward" arguably, unlikely probably not.

1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

So why the question about clairvoyancy? Obviously a forecast!

 

 

I asked no such question.

[MtB]

3 minutes ago, Athy said:

 

I asked no such question.

 

Comment then....

 

[Athy]

Just now, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Comment then....

 

Absolutely.

[MtB]

 

Are you around croppers for a pint of you fave ale Doombar this weekend??

[Athy]

Just now, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Are you around croppers for a pint of you fave ale Doombar Landlord this weekend??

We were going to be,but have changed our plans owing to pressing garden commitments! But next weekend there is a very promising band (reggae and soul, rather than the  usual tediously-soloing blues-rock) so we intend to be at the Brasenose for that.

Thanks anyway!

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, Athy said:

We were going to be,but have changed our plans owing to pressing garden commitments! But next weekend there is a very promising band (reggae and soul, rather than the  usual tediously-soloing blues-rock) so we intend to be at the Brasenose for that.

Thanks anyway!

 

You have a pressing garden? I'm impressed!

 

Next weekend is a possibility too! 

 

[Ray T]

18 hours ago, matty40s said:

CRT press release, June 26th 2019.

 

Following the severe weather and collapse of 2 of the historic locks at Foxton last November ,  CRT is proud to announce the opening of its new interactive laser hologram showcase of how this historic flight used to work.

Visitors can marvel at the simulations of old working boats traversing the lock flights and ask our volunteers how it used to be when real boats could pass through the flight.

There are several JustGiving tablets around the site where you can donate or become a friend in order for us to try to raise funds to rebuild the flight for future use.

Oh dear what a dour outlook. Have you been taking a "glass half empty" pill recently?

[Neil2]

20 hours ago, Athy said:

I think it does, yes. I have no statistics, but I get the impression that boatbuilders are very active at the moment, so how would the number of boats decline? It's rare that a narrowboat is withdrawn and scrapped. I suggest that the number of boats on our waterways is increasing, not declining.

Yes, we're an observant bunch, hence I noticed the date.

I think the number of licenced boats is pretty stable actually, though you would think that surely it must be increasing.  No doubt Alan dE will be along in a minute to give us the stats...

 

But my point was the number of active boaters is in decline.  I'd be surprised if anyone who navigates beyond the "popular" canals argues with that.  

 

The problem is today too many people are buying boats to sit in a comfortable marina hooked up to the mains.  Or they are bridge hopping and hope not to get caught or don't care if they get aggravation from CRT.   In both cases they might be licence holders but they don't really care if the canal system is maintained well or not, or even if there's any water in it.  This year most of the northern canals were out of action during the main cruising season - where was the public outcry?  No-one was really inconvenienced, or not enough folk to matter, and the fact that CRT got away with it will surely have given them a certain confidence that they can inconvenience boaters whenever they like and this will ultimately lead to certain canals being effectively abandoned.  Honestly, we began our boat owning life on the Leeds Liverpool and it is a shadow of the canal we once knew.  All it needs really is the hire companies to throw in the towel and after this year who could blame them.

 

I don't think there is an answer - I tend to think boaters should pay more towards CRT costs because it would give us more influence, but at the same time making canal cruising more expensive will surely alienate even more people from joining the boating community.   Rather selfishly I just hope the network holds together for the years of active boating I have left. 

 

 

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, Neil2 said:

I think the number of licenced boats is pretty stable actually, though you would think that surely it must be increasing.  No doubt Alan dE will be along in a minute to give us the stats...

So over the last 10/15 years.

 

BW declared the following numbers for licensed boats

 

2002 = 25,526

2007 = 32,604

2010/11 = 34,874

2011/12 = 34,683

 

There was a big increase in the 5 years 02-07 just before the financial 'bubble burst'.

 

C&RT declared the following numbers for licensed boat

 

2016-17 = 33,536

2017-18 = 34,207

 

C&RT declared a year on year growth figure from 2012 which was totally unreasonable (a lot like the visitors numbers) but after FoI requests the numbers disappeared and more reasonable ones appeared.

 

So in real terms the numbers have dropped since C&RT took over from BW

 

There has been a (recent history) of misinformation - example :

 

Speech by John Dodwell, a Trustee of the Canal & River Trust, to a Meeting of the Stort Boat Club at  7.30pm on Saturday March 22 2014 at Roydon Church Hall, Essex

I was asked to talk about “Current Waterway Matters, including Licence Enforcement and Moorings” so let’s start with licences and moorings – those are some ticklish subjects! - and see how we get on with current matters – I’m conscious that I stand between you and your supper.

Licencing

 

Licenced boats on the BW/CRT system rose over 10 years from about 25,000 to 35,000 – about a 40% increase.

 

But - the Annual accounts stated there were 32,733 licences issued.

 

Edited September 29, 2018 by Alan de Enfield

[MtB]

 

I reckon for every monster Widebeam launched there is probably a rotting 19 ft grp scrapper lifted out, hence the broadly stable number of licences.